


Rewriting History

by JillianJuneBug



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2019-11-19 10:56:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 115,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18134837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JillianJuneBug/pseuds/JillianJuneBug
Summary: You always thought that Obito deserved better. You would do anything to change the outcome of his life - his despair, his descent into darkness - you would rewrite it all. One day you found yourself in the shinobi world and became friends with that spiky-haired Uchiha. Now's your chance to change his fate. Maybe then he will live the life he's always dreamed of - with your help, of course. Obito x Reader





	1. Reset

Darkness. All you could see was the color black with subtle swirls of purple throughout.

_Am I even conscious?_

You remember taking a somber stroll through the local park last night after finishing the Naruto series. Obito was heavy on your mind, not just his fate, but also the entirety of his life in general. You thought profoundly about what could have been; his childhood, how he was always left behind, how his future as a shinobi was stolen from him, how he was the cause of a majority of negative events throughout the series, including an all-inclusive war. Each of these thoughts cut you deeply. You would be lying if you said you weren’t genuinely fond of him. It would be an even bigger lie to say if you had the opportunity to go into his universe to prevent these events from happening, you wouldn’t go in a heartbeat.

 

Sighing heavily, you placed herself on the cool ground overlooking the lake located in the center of the park; the grass was still wet and slippery from when it rained a couple hours before. You’ve always enjoyed coming here late at night when nobody was around. It was a decent way of coping with stress. However, the tension felt over Obito proved to be too great for this habit to ease your racing and admittedly depressed mind. Peering over the edge of the lake, you sought any form of distraction and hoped that your reflection could provide just that. It was too dark to make out anything other than your dark silhouette, but something else in the water caught your eye. In front of you, a distinct spark appeared in the otherwise unlit dullness of the water. Overwhelming curiosity convinced you to discard your coat to retrieve the object with your hand. Perhaps a sensible person would ponder what exactly that item could be before hastily shoving their hand to it – for all you knew it could have been a spark of electricity and your short life could have ended right there, but fate had other plans for you, (y/n).

 

It amazed you to watch your arm travel deeper the water despite being close to the edge. Before you could ask just how much farther until you reach that coveted shiny object, your shoes scraped against the slippery grass, causing you to fall forward and strike the water headfirst. Frozen in surprise, you could only ponder why the water was so deep. That is when you noticed that light significantly growing in size. As you got closer, the light enveloped your entire being and everything ironically faded to black…

 

~~~

 

Darkness. That’s all you see. Wait, you can make out something...

 

“I…I hear.. are those birds chirping? I remember being outside... but I don’t recall falling asleep at the park.” you said groggily with your eyes still closed while lifting yourself up using a position similar to a push up.

You felt weaker than you probably should, evidenced by the amount of effort it took to get yourself up and finally open your eyes.  In front of you is a familiar body of water, but the areas surrounding it is completely foreign to you. You eerily shift your eyes around in confusion before settling your line of sight to the water in front of you. Your face appears to be that of a seven or eight year old, with a small-scale body to confirm it. Immediately your eyes go wide before letting out a petite, child-like scream.

 

~~~

 

“That Kakashi…what the heck does he even know?” Obito said, trudging slowly with his hands in his pockets in defeat.

Having just left from bickering with his talented rival, and losing yet again, Obito needed to go out and get some air. _We’ll be starting at the ninja academy soon, so you won’t be able to push me around anymore._ Obito thought to himself with a competitive yet pained look on his face.

Suddenly a scream caught his attention and he immediately whipped his head toward the general direction of the noise. What he saw was a girl about his age, with (h/c) hair at (h/l) length. She looked to be breathing heavily and _…was she shaking_? Obito quizzically scouted the area around the girl to determine the source of her terror, but found nothing of interest. Curiosity overtaking him, Obito found himself running to the girl who was sitting with her arms holding her up behind her with her legs bending at the knees. If it wasn’t for her trembling, anyone would think she was simply relaxing by the water’s edge.

“Hey, are you okay?” Obito said cautiously as he began to reach his arm out to the mystery girl. At the same time, she looked over to him and screamed again, this time startling Obito as well.

“AH! What is _wrong_ with you?” Obito shrieked in a mix of fear and annoyance. You peered up at the boy standing over you while still breathing heavily, the familiar sound of his voice finally registering in your mind that it was –

_No. Is that... Obito… Uchiha?_

His navy blue and orange-trimmed outfit along with his signature goggles confirmed your improbable claim. This boy standing in front of you was Obito, the boy whose life you had just attentively watched and became depressed over. The one to cause so much pain to his world, _Obito Uchiha._ Something was different about him, though. He seemed... shorter. His eyes encompassed a considerable portion of his face and his orange goggles didn’t quite fit his head right, as if they were too large. It became apparent that he was about the same age as you, seven or eight at the most. You stared in amazement and disbelief, with your mouth opening to speak but unable to form sound. Obito stared down at you, this time with more annoyance in his eyes before finally breaking the silence.

“You know, you’re really weird. Who screams at people when they try to talk to you?” Hearing his harsh words snapped you out of your daze and you raised to your feet to meet his accusing gaze, his height only barely greater than yours.

“I-I’m sorry,” is all you could muster as you broke eye contact with the boy. “I... I'm not from around here. I’m really lost. Could you tell me where I am?” Deep down you already knew where you were – somehow you got transported to the Naruto Universe – but you needed confirmation from another individual to truly believe it.

Raising an eyebrow but with his defenses lowered, Obito replied, “You’re near the ninja academy, the place where guys like me are going to get trained to be Hidden Leaf Ninja! I’ve never seen you around. Are you going to attend the academy, too?”

Your thoughts blurred. _This is really happening. For some reason I’ve been transported to the ninja world during Kakashi and Obito’s time. But why? What could be my purpose here?_

An increasingly tense noise shook you from your thoughts as Obito aggressively waved his small hand in front of your face. When he saw that he’d caught your attention once again, Obito spoke up in an annoyed yet intrigued tone.

“You really are weird. Who are you?”

“Oh! My name’s (y/n),” you say with a bashful smile. “It’s so nice to meet you Obit-“

You quickly tried to cut yourself off from finishing his name, realizing he has no idea that you know everything about him. Though your efforts were unfortunately in vain.

“How the heck do you know my name?” Obito said apprehensively. You began to panic, sweat rolling off of you in a comical manner as you tried desperately to come up with an excuse.

“I… have just heard things about you is all! Like how you have a unique style and are from the famous Uchiha clan! That _is_ you, right, Obito?” You question him to try to get his accusations off of you.

Obito blinked before straightening out his back with his thumb pointed to his chest. “That’s right! I’m _the_ Obito Uchiha! So you’ve heard about me? So you _are_ from the village then!”

Obito’s deduction skills surprised you. _He’s pretty sharp for an eight year old._ You say to yourself as you sweatdrop.

“Well, I’m not really a member of the village, b-but I’d like to be!” You blurt out without even thinking. _“_ Wh-what I mean is... I would like to live in the Hidden Leaf and become a ninja like you, but I don’t exactly know how to do that.”

_What am I saying? Shouldn’t I be concerned about getting back to my world?_

Obito stared at you confused for a moment before it looked as if a light bulb flashed above his head. He then took your wrist to pull you somewhere.

“Come with me! I know just the person who can help us out!”

 

~~~

 

“So that’s basically what happened,” you lied when explaining your predicament to Obito and the young Rin while they observed you curiously.

You decided against telling them the truth – about how you essentially have a form of seeing the future after watching their life through a television series.

“You woke up in the village one day without any memories of where you came from?” Rin confirmed. If it were anyone else inquiring, the way they’d ask that question would likely come off as accusing or doubtful, but Rin had an uncanny ability to sound genuinely concerned over someone she had just met. You weren’t quite sure how to really feel about that. Her large brown eyes traveled upwards in thought for a moment before settling back down to you.

“Isn’t it the Hokage who decides who gets to stay in the village?”

Obito’s eyes lit up as he clapped his hands in front of him in realization.

“The Hokage, of course! You’re so smart, Rin! Come on, (y/n), let’s go talk to the Third about this,” he voiced with enthusiasm as he began guiding you by the wrist again; his pace was hard to keep up with due to his excitement. “Bye, Rin, see you at the academy!” Obito gleefully waved behind him as Rin flashed him a delightful grin, one that sent a sore pang through your heart.

 _What was that feeling just now..?_  You ponder as Obito continued to drag you off to the Hokage’s office.

 

~~~

 

“What do you mean you can’t let her stay in the village?!” Obito shouted in bewilderment.

“We have no idea who this girl is or where she came from,” Hiruzen started. “She could be a spy from an enemy village. Times of war will prompt villages to employ desperate tactics, even if they must resort to using their own youth as spies and weapons. Because of this, I cannot allow her to stay.”

Obito stared at Hiruzen fiercely; his face looked serious despite his age. “Look, I may not know much about her, but you can’t just kick her out – that just isn’t right!”

“You should be grateful that I allowed you two to meet with me at all!” Spat the Third as he returned Obito’s irritated aggression. The two were in a silent but bitter standoff while you stayed back and thought about your situation quietly.

“Um, Lord Hokage... you may think I’m a spy, but I truly don’t have any bad intent. I don’t even have any knowledge on ninjas.” This is partially true, since you know all about them and how they work but have no ninja skills yourself. “You said we are at war, right? Well I want to be trained as a ninja of the Hidden Leaf so I can protect you guys. I want to help!” you declare with a determined face as Obito looked at you with his own face full of inspiration.

Hiruzen pondered for a moment, reflecting on how the village was indeed at a disadvantage in numbers. There is an overwhelming demand for ninjas at this time; it might be wise to accept any help this village can get. This wouldn’t be the last time exceptions would be made either, as Hiruzen would eventually accept the orphaned Kabuto Yakushi into the village in the future.

“Alright, if that is how it must be, then I will make urgent arrangements to enroll you in this year’s training program at the ninja academy.” Thrilled with his change of heart, you and Obito glanced at each other with excitement – _mission accomplished,_ you praised.

 

~~~

 

“You really didn’t need to walk me to my house, you know.” Obito stated, the annoyance in his voice succeeded in hiding the unfamiliar emotions related to being on the receiving end of attention.

“Well I wouldn’t doubt that you could make it on your own, being _the famous Obito Uchiha_ after all, but I wanted to help out, just in case,” you lied. The real reason behind following him home was because you considered him as your only friend and felt comfort in his presence. Plus, you had nowhere else to go.

“Actually, I wanted to thank you for all your help today.”

Obito looked to the girl walking beside him in genuine surprise.

“If it weren’t for you, I'd probably would be fending for myself at the land’s border right about now.”

“O-oh, I guess that _was_ because of me!” Obito stated as a lone finger went to scratch at his cheek nervously, a faint blush forming on his cheeks. Obito didn’t really know what to do with the attention, but before he knew it, you two were standing at the entrance to his home.

“Well here it is, I’ll see you at the academy?”

“Um, about that, Obito… you would say we’re friends... right?" You questioned, the hesitance in your voice clearly indicated your nerves.

He blinked at you before laughing in your face. “Well of course we are! After all that happened today it’d be weird if we weren’t!”

Reassured, you smiled and continued, “Well... since this arrangement was such short notice, there are no apartments available for me, yet. Do you, um, happen to have a spare room for the night..?” You muttered while avoiding all eye contact.

There was an awkward silence to follow and tears began pricking at your eyes as you prepared for the rejection, before Obito surprisingly agreed.

You couldn’t find sleep that night. How could anyone sleep after everything that happened today? You were transported to a world run by shinobi, chakra, jutsu and war. A normal person would immediately and truthfully explain their situation to the first person they saw, but you were never conventional or ordinary, you thought. At the time, all you thought about when you saw Obito was his fate on this world. Not only that, but you also saw a way of preventing those events from ever occurring! You remember everything. You recall that fateful mission that started his downfall – Rin getting kidnapped, Kakashi losing his eye, Obito activating his Sharingan, his apparent “death.” You can think of various ways from preventing these from ever happening at all – but every solution required you to be a kunoichi. You saw the opportunity and you took it. You will start at the academy soon – for the next few years, you will be with Kakashi, Obito, and _her. Rin,_ you thought in disgust. Shaking your head, you mentally chastised yourself for thinking about her so negatively. After all, she did help you stay in the village, but still. There was this feeling about her that you couldn’t shake. Perhaps she’s a potential _rival?_   Disregarding these thoughts, you let your mind wander to issues that are more important. You have been blessed with the knowledge of what is to happen, good and bad. You’ve decided long ago that you were going to use this knowledge to your advantage.

 _No matter what it takes Obito,_ you began saying to yourself; _I will protect you. Even if it means not going home. I don’t know what type of ninja I should be, or if I can even use chakra, but I will change your fate, Obito. I will not let you go down that path of darkness - that darkness that plagues all Uchihas. I will rewrite your story._


	2. Training Intensifies

It was the night before the first day of the academy. It had been a couple months since you met Obito, and despite having your own apartment, you found yourself spending some nights at his house doing various things together including practice fights, star gazing, and generally getting to truly know one another.

“- so I told him that I don’t care if he’s younger than me, I will beat him up anytime! And then Bakashi said –

“Wait, Bakashi?” you interrupted. “D-did you seriously – just call him.. Bakashi?” You couldn’t help but spring into laughter at the little ‘pet name’ Obito labeled Kakashi. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard," you managed to muster between laughs. 

Hearing this, Obito grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

“Really? I think it suits him. Rin doesn’t like it when I call him that, though. She says we should all get along if we're going to be classmates together. Like I would waste my time being all chummy with someone like him,” Obito explained as the two of you sat on the rooftop to his house, gazing up at the stars.

This activity became the norm for you two. It was a great way to escape other people and responsibilities, and was an activity to simply enjoy each other’s company.

“So class starts tomorrow, huh?" You ask while peeking into Obito’s eyes, "Are you nervous?”

Obito shook his head roughly, “No way, not in the slightest! I’ll finally be able to become a formidable shinobi and get some respect around here,” the last few words he said trailed off into a barely audible mumble, as if he were embarrassed or ashamed by something.

Not catching his discomfort, you smiled and hummed in response before your face shifted into a similar uneasiness. Being keener to catching subtle cues, Obito quickly turned his attention toward you.

“What’s up? You got quiet all of a sudden.”

You looked over to your friend and saw his arms crossed behind his head while the two of you laid down.

“You told me that Uchihas excel in fire-style techniques, right?”

Obito nodded proudly.

“Well, since I don’t know where I’m from, I’m just nervous that I'll never figure out the techniques that fit me," you began unconsciously squeezing your hand into a fist. “I’ve decided a long time ago that I wanted to be a ninja with you, but what if this training at the academy is a waste of time for me?”

Shocked by the sudden uncertainty, Obito shot up from his spot on the roof to get into your face.

“What do you think we’ve been training and preparing for this whole time? I don’t know about you, but _I_ think you have what it takes! Don’t lose hope, okay?” Obito flashed his signature grin. “We haven’t even gotten started yet for crying out loud! Don’t worry, I’ll keep helping you along the way. So cheer up, ya big baby!” Obito said playfully as he held out his fist in front of you, the full moon mirroring off his face gave him a remarkable gleam in his eyes.

Initially taken aback by Obito’s reassurance, your smile then widened with restored ambition as your fist lifted to meet his in a cordial fist bump.

_Obito really is something else._

 

That following morning, Obito excitedly barged into your room and woke you up by diving into the center of your bed, effectively knocking the wind out of you. Realizing his error too late, Obito made a mad dash out of your room to escape your wrath.

“Get back here, you doofus! I will _destroy_ you,” is what Obito heard as he exited the room, laughing the whole way through.

 

* * *

 

 

Days at the academy flew by. You and your Uchiha friend made a habit of walking to and from the academy and sitting next to each other in class. If you didn’t spend the night at his place, one of you would instead wait outside the other’s house so you could walk together. It all depended on who was ready first, which, as you already know, was _not_ Obito’s strong point. This routine persisted for weeks, then months, then surprisingly a year, until it was almost graduation. Normally the time it took to graduate was a minimum of four years, but the village was desperate to generate ninja for the front lines, so you and Obito passed through school overwhelmingly quickly. The passage to becoming a full-fledged ninja was near, and you couldn’t have been more nervous. Obito stuck by his word and helped you train, as you mutually helped with his. Your mind constantly gnawed at remembering that Rin would be paired up with Obito and Kakashi because those two were strong attackers while she focused completely on support.

_Perhaps if I did the same, then I could have a chance at getting on Obito’s team instead of her!_

Once this was decided, the next step was to figure out what techniques to specialize in. You chose to essentially copy Rin with her medical prowess, but quickly learned that the delicate art of chakra control was much, _much_ harder than it looked. Even though you learned how to utilize basic ninja techniques in the academy, learning to center your chakra into your hands and then proceed to change its form into a healing aura proved too difficult for someone like you. It was similar to how some people are gifted at art and can always draw a perfect circle while others simply can’t. This was incredibly disheartening.

  _Girls are supposed to excel in chakra control. That’s why there are so many female medical nin! Come on (y/n), what’s wrong with you? Why can’t you be like her? If Rin can do it, why can’t you?_

These thoughts plagued you as you watched Obito spar with someone at the training grounds while waiting your turn. It wasn't until Obito unleashed a particularly impressive Fireball Jutsu only for his opponent to conjure up Earth Style: Mud Wall to block the flames did it finally hit you.

 _There are more ways to protect and support a comrade other than medical attention,_ you realized.

After the sheet of paper used to test chakra nature turned into dirt and crumbled under your grasp, you came to realize that you have an affinity for Earth Style. You decided to base your abilities around defense and protection rather than offense or medicine. With your hope restored, it was your turn to train.

 

~~~

 

The exam was over. Even though you struggled, you managed to produce a passable clone and happily joined the others for the team selection.

 _This is it._ You chanted to yourself, over and over. This past year of training and practically growing up with Obito, it all comes down to this. You made sure to base your moves with a heavy emphasis on support. _Hopefully it will be enough to change the team outcomes –_

“Now for Team Minato –“

The future Fourth Hokage’s name perked you up. _This is it! Come on, Obito, (y/n), and whoever the third person must be. It can be anyone. Give us Ebisu for all I care! Just say our names together –_

“Team Minato will consist of Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and –

 

 

 

\- Rin Nohara.”

 

Time seemed to stand still for you. All of that training. The specializing. All those nights you were kept awake trying to dig all of the dirt from under your fingernails. Heck, you were willing to go through puberty _again_ for this boy! Was it all _wasted?_ Thankfully, Obito didn’t show up to the team assigning. You knew for a fact that he was helping an old lady somewhere; so you couldn’t see his reaction to being paired with his _crush,_ but still, deep down you knew exactly how he would look. It was disheartening, to say the very least. The team you ended up being on was nothing special. They were both ninjas who you didn’t recognize from the show – not even background characters, so you didn’t focus on them. This probably caused you to be perceived as cold and uncaring, which of course was not your intent, but you decided to stay in this world for a purpose. The first step for your goal failed. Despite your efforts, you and Obito are on separate teams and therefore will be spending significantly less time together. You didn’t want to admit it, but part of you was hoping to get on his team, not only to support him and change his future, but also so you could drive a wedge between him and Rin. You would never admit that out loud, though.

_Obito would be so apprehensive of your jealousy, (y/n)._

Since plan A failed, it was time to move onto plan B, which admittedly was the more important one anyway. The goal now is to continue with your shinobi duties and responsibilities and carry on as normal up until Kakashi is promoted to Jonin. The first mission he is assigned to as leader is the same mission where _it_ happened. You don’t know how, but your new goal is to either prevent that mission from happening, or force yourself to go with them.


	3. Making Time

You always knew the duties of a Genin were never particularly hard, but what caught you off guard was the _sheer amount_ of D-ranked missions your squad was forced to complete. The nation was at war, meaning there are considerably less ninja readily available for missions which essentially leaves the lower-ranked ninja with twice the amount of work. This cut in with your time with Obito immensely, though the two of you did manage to still make time for each other every now and then.

You were walking home after a mission late one evening where the route you followed took you through the ninja academy. Looking around its vicinity brought nostalgic memories of the playing, fighting, training, and learning that took place there when you were only 8 years old. You glanced at the lone swing on a nearby tree and winced.

_Hopefully the future I create will make it so you don’t ever have to be alone on that swing, Naruto._

Your thoughts were interrupted by the doors to the academy swinging open, and you stopped in your tracks when you saw Obito walking out. Your first reaction was to wave and call out to him, however, your intent was soon diminished when another form emerged immediately after him, this individual being none other than Rin Nohara. Your once bright face was immediately replaced with distraught as you studied each of their smiling faces.

_– is…is Obito.. blushing..?_

_I can’t. I can’t watch this._ You said to yourself as you turned 180 degrees to walk away.

You can’t explain why, but something compelled you to stop and look back one more time; just in time to catch Obito sporting his signature smile – _the one you believe to be falling in love with._

No. _Stop those thoughts right now, (y/n). You’ve been through this. If I do change the future, then Rin will most likely survive and Obito will continue to fixate after her. Even if she never reciprocates, he wouldn’t give up on her that easily. He did start a war for her, after all. You’ll only be hurting yourself if you keep this up, (y/n)._

You let your mind wander, your gaze never leaving your best friend’s form. You were shaken out of your thoughts once you noticed the two of them parting ways, with Obito heading through the main part of town. You were frozen in place deciding what to do. Before your mind can process your decision, your feet began to move toward his disappearing form. Your walk became a jog, which then formed into a sprint. Eventually you were in close enough proximity to call out to the Uchiha.

“Obito!” you shouted out in a mix of exhaustion and glee.

Recognizing your voice immediately, Obito turned to greet you with that charming smile you were fawning over just moments before.

“(y/n)! It’s been a while! What’chu been up to these days?”

Obito’s reminiscing tone made you realize just how long it’s been since you two properly hung out. Realizing this made you go a little melancholy and your eyes naturally went downcast to the Ichiraku Ramen shop on your right, which prompted a great idea.

“How about I tell you over ramen,” you say pointing to the shop on your right with your thumb, “my treat.”

Looking at the shop then back to you, Obito’s smile returned to his face.

“How do you always know what I’m thinking?” He exclaimed with a cocky yet friendly grin on his lips, “You big weirdo.”

 ~~~

“So what’s the story, why are you all scratched up?” Obito said inquisitively, noting the various cuts, grass stains and scratches riddling your face and clothes.

“Oh it’s nothing, just Kyoko and I got into a bit of a disagreement again.”

“Are you serious? That cat escaped _again_? That’s gotta be what, the third time this month?”

“Yeah and somehow my team’s the one who always gets assigned to capturing this nuisance of a cat. It makes me wonder why she doesn’t just stay home. I can only imagine how her family treats her. But still, I find it kind of hilarious that her name is Kyoko because from what I’ve heard that name literally translates to “respectful child” and let me tell you, she is anything but respectful to me!”

You and Obito both chuckle at the irony before he spoke up again while still eyeing your injuries.

“Do your scratches hurt? I can get Rin to come by and patch you u-“

“ **NO**!” You screamed, perhaps a tad too loudly, as an awkward silence followed shortly after your ill-mannered interruption.

Even the shop’s owner, the man about to pass you two your ramen, paused cautiously as he waited for a sign of amity among the two of you.

“I-I’m sorry, Obito. I didn’t mean to raise my voice,” you say meekly to the startled Uchiha.

“Raise your voice is an understatement, (y/n)! What was that for? All I did was offer to get your wounds treated!” Obito defended himself, with the hurt transparent in his voice.

“No, yeah. You’re absolutely right. I just, um, panicked when you started talking about treating wounds. I got frightened thinking about what would happen if I didn’t get these treated and... those thoughts scared me. I really am sorry, Obito. Can you forgive me? At least while we eat our ramen?” you suggested with a gentle smile appearing on your face.

Obito’s eyes softened at your apology, and with your smile being a contagious one, he cracked one back with his eyes closed and joked, “Well I can’t say no to that! You did say it was your treat, after all.”

Seeing the tone reverting to a friendly one, the owner felt comfortable again and handed you and Obito your order.

You felt guilty for essentially lying to your best friend. Lying is disrespectful; an insult to one’s intelligence, you thought. But in this case you had to, because you knew the real reason why you snapped at Obito was because of him suggesting that he went to get Rin, which meant he would see her outside of his usual team meetups. You felt terrible for feeling this way; Obito can go see her if he wants to. This is another reason why you’ve been trying so hard to put your walls up before he could do anything more to your heart, any more than he already has. Midway through eating, a question you were meaning to ask popped into your mind.

“So what exactly were you and Rin doing at the ninja academy earlier, especially when it’s so late?” you commented, noting how the setting sun casted a vibrant orange in the village square just outside the shop’s banners.

“Me and Rin also finished a mission earlier when she asked me to go with her to drop off some medical documents at the academy. It was sort of boring at some parts, but... I didn't mind it...”

You quietly but resentfully noticed the subtle blush dusted on his cheeks at the mention of her name.

“Wait, how did you even know about that? Have you been following us?” A question that was, to your relief, one that was easy to answer truthfully. Though that didn’t stop a sweatdrop from appearing on your head from the thought of Obito thinking you were a stalker.

“Honest to goodness I was on my way home from today’s mission when you two happened to cross my path. I was just curious, is all.”

You looked up at Obito after a moment of silence to search for a reaction. Obito’s face was still full of suspicion.

“Maybe Lord Third was right when he accused you of being an outside spy all those years ago,” he said with an exuberant look on his face, to which you responded by laughing at the absurdity.

“I can’t believe you remember that! It seems like so long ago.”

“Well of course I do, (y/n)! It was the first day we ever met. That’s a pretty important day to remember in my book,” Obito voiced nonchalantly while gulping down another mouthful of ramen. You sat there quietly, processing that Obito really does care for you and your friendship with him.

Our _friendship. Nothing more._

“So what are your plans tonight?”

“I was on my way over to the training grounds to get some shuriken target practice in when you stopped me.”

“Do you mind if I tag along? It’s been so long since I got to see you. I don’t know when we’ll get to hang out again so I want to be with you as much as possible – unless of course you’d rather practice alone,” you muttered, embarrassed by being unable to suppress your excitement to invite yourself into Obito’s business.

“Funny, I was just about to ask you if you’d like to come. There you go reading my mind again,” Obito teased.

You and Obito headed to the training ground shortly after, where you two practiced, sparred and talked well into the night, until you walked Obito home before eventually going separate ways.

"Good night, Obito."

"Night, (y/n)."


	4. That Mission

A couple years went by and you still kept up your duties as a ninja. The Chunin exams came and went and, despite the facing the danger and challenge head on with your friend, you found yourself still at Genin status by the end of it. It was a blow to your ego since almost everyone else was promoted to Chunin. The Third Great Ninja War made it so ninja were graduating and promoted easily, so standards were much lower. It wasn’t a complete waste of time, though, since your team and team Minato joined forces in the Forest of Death which only served in making the already unbreakable bond between you and Obito even stronger. That night after the exams, you and Obito were walking to his house to go star gazing, the bag Obito was holding contained the Leaf’s signature green Chunin outfit, the crumpling noise it made while you two walked only plunged your thoughts deeper into disappointment. Obito on the other hand, couldn’t be happier, his smile and excitement never left his face the entire walk home. You were strangely comforted by this.

“I’m finally a Chunin! It took long enough,” Obito started with excitement evident in his voice.

“This means I can start leading teams and go on real missions soon! No more babysitting, or walking dogs or catching cats! It’s only danger and real experience from here, (y/n)!”

Your already weak smile faltered when you realized that Obito is now eligible for C, B, and maybe even A rank missions now, while you are stuck with D ones. You and Obito have had a couple missions together, but never any that risked your lives. Now not even those will happen anymore. Not while you’re still a Genin. Obito lifted his Chunin jacket in the air in front of him to admire and reflect on the work it took to get it. His gaze then fell to you, where he noticed your head was low and your eyes downcasted. That’s when he remembered you were one of the few not immediately promoted to Chunin and Obito felt like such a huge pompous jerk for basically throwing his achievement in your face when you couldn’t quite share the joy in the exact same way.

“Hey, (y/n). Cheer up, okay? I’ll tell you what, the next time you take the exams, I'll help you with that one, too.”

Looking up at Obito skeptically, you asked, “How would you even manage that?”

“I don’t know, I’ll sneak in somehow and give you all the answers on the exam, and I’ll protect you in the Forest of Death, too. Hopefully I’ll have my Sharingan by then, so it’ll be a piece of cake!” Obito emphasized his point by vertically raising his fist in front of him.

You giggled, “I don’t think they’d let me cheat by bringing in a Chunin.”

“Now see, the key here is that they don’t find out about it,” Obito winked. “Besides, they encourage cheating, don’t they?”  

“That’s true, we are ninja, after all. Gotta be sneaky snakes,” you said playfully.

“Yeah, you got it! Now you’re talking!” Obito finished with hope and reassurance in his tone.

 _Hopefully he will be here for the Chunin exams next time. I still need to formulate how I plan to prevent **that** from happening, _you thought as the two of you laid down on the rooftops to look at the stars as you’ve done countless times before.

 

~~~

 

The sun was going down rapidly. You meant to do your shopping earlier but your mission for the day took longer than expected. While passing through the central area of the village, you spotted familiar orange goggles as well as three other forms heading in your direction. Immediately your eyes locked with the dark-haired boy as the two of you exchanged an enthusiastic wave.

“Hey guys! Watcha up to?”

“We’re making a quick stop to grab supplies before heading out on a mission,” Minato answered before his eyes traveled to Kakashi. “Kakashi was just promoted to Jonin and will be leading our squad for the first time,” he said as Kakashi broke the gaze he had on you to look in any other direction but yours.

You didn’t notice this, however, as you were focused entirely on your blood running cold. Obito began chattering but everything sounded like a blur, your rapidly increasing breathing was all you could properly hear. Looking over to you, Rin noticed your discomfort with concern in her eyes, “Are you okay, (y/n)?”

Obito immediately stopped talking and focused on you with concern evident in his face as well. You looked at Rin as if you had seen a ghost as you recalled what happens to her in only a few days’ time.

_This is it. It’s really happening. All those years of preparation for this._

“Hey, (y/n), you’re scaring me here,” Obito mustered in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Disregarding his comment, you managed to blurt out, “I need to come with you,” which warranted shock from each member, Minato included.

“Hey that’s a great idea! Let her come, Minato-sensei!” Obito commanded. He was thrilled at the prospect of having his best friend join him on a _real_ mission.

“That’s really not a good idea, Obito.”

“What do you mean? (y/n)’s a skilled fighter, she can protect all of us!" Obito argued.

“If she were so skilled then she would have been promoted to Chunin like the rest of you,” Kakashi spat out while giving you a piercing side look that also pierced your spirit.

Obito growled, “You take that back! You’re just jealous that (y/n) is more skilled at Earth Style than you are!”

The two started bickering but you were touched that Obito would go to great lengths to defend you.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you go without permission from the Hokage, (y/n),” Minato interrupted with an sympathetic look on his face, “and seeing how the village is short-staffed, I wouldn’t count on him letting you go. Obito, Kakashi and Rin can take care of themselves, you don’t have to worry about them,” he concluded with an endearing wink.

You knew for a fact that they could _not_ take care of themselves, and without another word, you booked it to the Hokage’s office as fast as you could.

“You should've let her come with us, Minato-sensei,“ Obito spouted, but Minato wasn’t quite listening. Your uncharacteristic reaction intrigued him. Something didn’t feel quite right.

* * *

 

You managed to evade all of the guards and administrators in the Hokage Residence. It was an easy task since they didn’t think a little Genin girl could be much of a threat. Before you knew it, you made your presence known in the Hokage’s quarters.

“I **need** to go with team Minato on their mission!” you demanded bluntly.

Hiruzen looked in your direction unfazed before trailing his eyes back on to the document in front of him. “Team Minato...” he pondered. “As far as I’m aware, they are currently fulfilling an S-rank mission. A mission that is far too advanced for a Genin, I’m afraid.”

Ignoring his backhanded comment, you persisted.

“Please, I want your permission to go. Even if you don’t, I’m going to help them anyway,” you admitted. That was probably not the smartest move since you know full well what the consequences are for disobeying orders and leaving the village unauthorized. At that statement, Hiruzen paused his writing and put down his pen to look directly at you.

“You realize the implications behind your demands, correct?”

  _It’s too late to back down now,_ you thought as your hands curled into tight fists.

“I do, sir.”

You turned to leave, eager to catch up with Obito and the others. You reached the doorframe when Hiruzen spoke up once again.

“If you are going to disobey orders then you may as well leave your headband here with me.”

You froze at his bluntness. You were expecting to deal with the consequences after you brought everyone home safely. No, your mind was made up. Holding onto your headband tied around your (h/l) and not letting go, you sprinted out of the building and never looked back.

“(y/n) was always a respectable student. To directly disobey the Hokage’s orders... she must know something is terribly wrong,” Hiruzen mused passively before returning to his work.

 _That meeting with Lord Third took longer than I thought. Please don’t tell me I’m too late!_ You begged to yourself; relief immediately washed over you upon spotting the unmistakably tall blond man and his shorter students at the village gate. Hearing footsteps quickly approaching, Obito turned around and greeted you with a toothy smile.

“(y/n)! You got permission from Lord Third, didn’t you?” the others turned their attention toward you in anticipation for an answer.

_I can’t tell them the truth. I’m sorry for lying again but this is too important._

“Of course I did!” Persuading him took a while but here I am!” you grinned with your eyes closed. Minato subtly narrowed his eyes in suspicion of your response but didn’t question you any further.

“Well alright, we’re behind schedule so let’s get going,” he announced before turning and disappearing into the forest. You and Obito exchanged excited looks before leaping into the trees after him, but you kept a slight distance between your team members as you contemplated the somber situation you had just put yourself in.

 

~~~

 

Eventually Minato separated from the four of you with Kakashi now taking charge, much to Obito’s annoyance. The four of you traveled for what felt like days, though you sighed when you realized that it was probably closer to only a few hours.

“Okay, um, what’s your favorite dessert?” you asked Obito while hopping from tree to tree.

“I’d say probably anything from the dango shop, but the ice cream back home is good, too. What’s your favorite animal?”

You pondered for a moment before deciding on an answer. “Oh, I know! I love (f/a)."

Obito raised an eyebrow before stating smugly, “Duh, that’s so like you, (y/n). I could've totally guessed that!”

“My turn. What’s your favorite –“

This game went on for quite some time. You and Obito began doing this randomly one night while looking at the stars. It was an excellent way of getting to know each other, and despite already knowing Obito for years now, the questions and answers he would come up with still surprised you, and vice versa.

“Really?" Obito jerked his head in your direction with intrigue, "Your favorite hobby is sleeping?”

“You act so surprised but you see me nap all the time!”

“Well yeah, sure. But you’re always the one who’s at our meeting spot first. Figured you'd sleep in a little.”

“I do, but you’re always busy with old ladies so I don’t have to worry about being late to our meeting spots,” you pointed out playfully, earning yourself a stern look from Obito.

“Hey, it’s not like I really like old ladies or anything, I could stop if I wanted to –“

You began to giggle knowing how needlessly defensive Obito was getting over his ‘hobby’ of helping others.

“What are you laughing at? If you were an old lady you would want help t –“

Suddenly Obito’s speech was cut off, only to be replaced with a loud ‘thump’ and a pained noise straining from his throat.

“Obito!” the commotion caused Kakashi and Rin in front of you to stop to see what was going on. Obito was so focused on looking at you to explain his point that he wasn’t paying enough attention to the trees in front of him.  He ended up smacking right against a branch and fell to the ground with a hard thud. Watching the whole process, you gasped heavily until your lungs swelled to the brim with air and hopped down instantly to look over your friend’s form in a panic.

"Obito, are you alright?” you asked with a hint of guilt in your soft tone. He groaned before your other team members swooped down to check on his status. Receiving an unusual amount of attention, Obito straightened up his back as he feigned confidence, “Yeah, of course. I’m tougher than that, guys!"

Kakashi wasn’t impressed. “Keep going, no more distractions. And Obito, quit gawking at (y/n) and watch where you’re heading from now on.”

“Wha-? I wasn’t gazing at (y/n)! Don’t make things up, Kakashi!”

“I didn’t say gazing. I said gawking,” he countered in a matter-of-fact tone before returning to the branches above.

“Why you, get back here Kakashi!” Obito followed after him while you and Rin left soon after.

Something wasn’t right - Obito was having trouble keeping up with Kakashi. Well, that’s not the surprising part. That’s to be expected if you were honest. What was unnerving about this, though, was that Obito quit giving chase way sooner than he usually does. It’s not like him to give up so easily. That’s when you noticed the slight limp in his right foot.

_Did he… did he injure his foot from the fall?_

 

~~~

 

“We’ll stop here for the night,” Kakashi stated, causing everyone to stop in their tracks.

“What? Why here? We only just got past the land’s border, we should keep going!”

“We are resting here and that’s all I’m going to say to you.”

Obito huffed in annoyance and leered at Kakashi.

“(y/n), back me up here. We can totally keep going, right?” He inquired, turning his attention toward you. You stayed silent for a moment while your eyes trailed down to his foot, which you noticed he was keeping slightly off the ground.

“Obito,” you ignored the question. “Did something happen to your foot?”

Obito was surprised. He thought that he’d hidden his injury well, at least enough to fool Rin. Kakashi probably knew, but getting him to care was a different issue altogether.

“N-no I just,” unable to come up with an excuse, Obito sighed in defeat while Rin sat him down to tend to his foot.

“As I said, we’re staying here.”

“Shut up, ‘ _Bakashi_!’”

 

~~~

 

As the sky grew darker, your teammates began preparing to sleep. That’s when you realized in your haste to catch up with the others, you neglected your own essentials – food, sleeping bag, other supplies – you had nothing but your weapons.

_Great. At this rate, I’ll just be a burden on everyone else._

Suddenly a feminine voice took you out of your thoughts, “Aren’t you going to get ready to sleep, (y/n)?” Rin asked, drawing Obito’s attention toward you. Folding your hands together in anxiousness, you stumbled over your words.

“Well you see, somebody has to keep watch, so I don’t want to bring my sleeping bag out. It’d be too tempting."

“You do love to sleep, after all,” Obito smirked.

“R-right, exactly! Don’t worry about me. If anything happens, I’ll use my Earth Style: Protective Barrier around you.”

Satisfied with your answer, everyone turned to their respective sleeping bag and everything went silent.

Hours went by. Usually you would be knocked out in sleep by now, but the chilly air and hunger easily kept you awake, but you were partially thankful for this since it made it easier to keep your word. It was silent; the only noise was the occasional shifting of a sleeping bag, but Obito’s especially.

Obito couldn’t sleep. It didn’t feel right to leave you alone out there in the cold. Without any more prompting, Obito crawled out of his sleeping bag and made his way over to your perching spot, where he found your head slumped low with your eyes closed. You would occasionally jerk your head up in an attempt to stay awake, but it was getting increasingly difficult, despite the cold and hunger. Before you knew it, you felt a comforting heat at one of your sides.

“Hey,” Obito spoke quietly, which jerked you awake with a gasp, and he chuckled, “I guess if we did get attacked, we’d all be doomed, huh?”

“Obito! What are you doing up?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“How come? Is something troubling you?”

Obito inwardly panicked. He was way too prideful to admit that the reason why he couldn’t sleep was because he was worried about you.

“The sleeping bag was getting too hot, is all,” he claimed while avoiding eye contact, a faint blush appeared on his cheeks that was thankfully hidden in the dark.

“Well you’re always welcome to join me. It’s plenty cold over here,” you noted while your hands held and rhythmically brushed your arms to generate a negligible amount of heat. Obito’s eyes lowered in guilt. You shouldn’t be out here in the cold. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen you eat, either. Before you could say another word, you heard a quick shifting of clothing and were then immediately wrapped up in the warmth of Obito’s jacket. You jerked your head in Obito’s direction in surprise to see that he wasn’t looking at you. You instinctively grasped his jacket with both your hands out of a mix of nerves and appreciation of your friend’s gesture. Neither one of you said anything for the longest time; it was just the two of you leaning next to each other on a trunk of a tree. It was peaceful. Eventually you looked up, anticipating the view to consist entirely of trees and leaves, but instead, you found something unexpected.

“Obito,” you whispered, and he responded just as softly, “Yeah?”

“Look up at the sky. From where we are we can see the stars from over here.”

Obito looked up with intrigue.

“Hey, yeah. It looks nice out here.”

“Looks like it’s a good thing we stopped after all,” you said cheerfully with your eyes closed and Obito hummed in response. Not another word was spoken. The two of you spent the rest of the night gazing up at the stars together in deep content, the bitter chill in the air seemed to strangely evaporate under the presence of your best friend.

 

~~~

 

Sneaking along the foreign land, you noticed the ground under you becoming wetter and the area around you appearing increasingly familiar. Tension was rising. It could happen any time now. Eventually your team reached a spot that looked all-too familiar.

_We are near the spot where it happens –_

Before you could finish your thoughts, logs began falling from the trees in an apparent trap. Obito acted quickly to disable the incoming logs with an intense Fireball Jutsu while you shielded your face from the flames and falling debris.

 _NOW -_ you screamed to yourself as your body immediately twisted to grab onto Rin to pull her close to you. As if right on cue, the enemy who originally kidnapped her revealed himself and instead opted a direct attack on the both of you. Rin screamed, drawing Obito's and Kakashi’s attention while they fought off the men in front of them, but stayed back since you seemed to have things under control. This time Rin wasn’t kidnapped like she was supposed to be, but rather, she was safe with one of your arms holding onto her, with a kunai ready in the other. The man lunged for you but all you could think about was protecting Rin. Letting go of her, you quickly formed hand signs to unleash an Earth Style: Protective Barrier around her so nobody could get in or out. Occupied with your work, you failed to dodge the attack aimed towards you as his knife embedded itself deep into your abdomen. You yelped and slumped to the ground in overwhelming pain; your trembling hands slowly tried to form a hand sign to protect yourself as well but the sensations from the sharp impact overpowered you while your eyes blurred with tears. Not hearing your yelp, Obito and Kakashi continued their assault on the enemies at the front, but something inside demanded Obito to turn around, only to see you curled up on the ground with the enemy about to strike and finish you off.

“ **(Y/N!)** ” Obito screamed as he rushed in to protect you. Suddenly, everything seemed to pass by in slow motion for him. Obito assumed it was because of the stress of this dire situation, but he found that his vision began to turn red with a searing heat emanating from both eyes. Obito disregarded these odd sensations, his only focus was on you. Accepting your grave defeat, you waited despondently for the sickening sound of metal piercing flesh, only for it to form a sharp ‘SHING’ instead, allowing you time to process that there was another being towering over you. Obito succeeded in blocking the enemy’s blow, with their weapons now locked at a stalemate. You managed to gather the strength to look up at Obito, where you saw he had the fiercest, most passionate expression you had ever seen. It was a look that read ‘protect her at all costs.’ Not only that, but you also managed to notice the intense crimson color in his eyes.

 _The Sharingan._ You smiled as your vision faded to black.


	5. Implications

_I succeeded. I protected Rin…_

_Wait… Rin! She’s…still trapped in my barrier._

_I can’t die here…_

_I need..._

You managed to form a few hand signs

_To release…_

You clasped your hands together.

_The jutsu…_

Before long the protective barrier around Rin disintegrated, her face was full of gratitude before her sight landed on the body bleeding profusely among her.

“Rin!” yelled Obito, who was still fending off the enemy, “Heal (y/n)!”

“Right!” Rin affirmed and began releasing a green aura around your abdomen without another word.

“That (y/n) of yours is pathetically weak!” the enemy gloated as he continued to clash with Obito, “I’m doing you all a favor by taking her out of her misery!”

Obito was fuming. With tears in his red eyes, he shouted and charged vehemently at the man. They clashed weapons again, the crooked smile never leaving the enemy’s face. That is, until another form appeared unexpectedly behind the man, him realizing too late that he had let his guard down. He unleashed a pained grunt while blood projected out of his mouth upon being impaled, with some of it splattering over Obito’s face, but the Uchiha's fervent and protective expression remained unchanged. The figure who attacked from behind turned out to be Kakashi; his face was unreadable behind the confines of his mask.

“That woman is going to get you killed one day,” the man spat as he took his final breath. With his eyes still brimful with passion and vibrant red from his Sharingan, Obito leered down at the man and solemnly declared,

“I won’t let you or anyone else hurt my friends ever again. I swear it.”

 

~~~

 

Darkness. That familiar darkness. It’s that same mysterious, churning darkness you felt all those years ago, the one that transported you to this world.

_Am I.. leaving this world? I…saved Rin... I prevented Obito from getting crushed. Have I accomplished what I needed to in this world? Am I going to die?_

These thoughts plagued your mind as your vision swirled in that familiar darkness. Suddenly, a blurred tinge of light emerged from outside your closed eyelids and you began to open them slowly, carefully. With your vision initially clouded and obscured, the first thing you recognize upon your sight returning to focus is _him._

“Obito,” you muttered and only then became aware of the irony taste and smell of blood around you.

Obito’s face was indescribable. It was a mix of relief and joy, frustration and grief while his eyebrows knitted together in agonizing concern. Slowly, your hearing returned to you as well.

“(y/n)…” your name sounded heavenly coming from his lips.

“You’re gonna be okay. Rin stopped the bleeding. You’re gonna be just fine,” he chanted while his red eyes scrutinized your weary face, though it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself more than anything else.

“Oh (y/n), we’re so glad you’re okay!” Rin exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around you in a hug, completely catching you off guard You never liked Rin - the vibe you always intentionally sent her would surely prevent her from liking you too, you figured, but there she was, her form over yours in a gentle embrace.

 _No wonder Obito has feelings for you,_ you thought to yourself. It was strange. It almost felt like her saving and praising you made you even more resentful of her.

_Why can’t I be more like you?_

You tried to push those thoughts aside in favor of reuniting with Obito and reveling in the knowledge that you succeeded in saving him from his future despair.

“Thank you for protecting me, (y/n)!” Rin said as she let go of you, “I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t spot that camouflaged ninja behind us!”

_You don’t want to know._

After Rin released you, you felt a firm and reassuring hand on your shoulder from the shaken Uchiha.

“That was great thinking back there, (y/n). I’m really proud of you,” he said as his grip on your shoulder tightened, the look in his eyes was genuine yet strained with concern, as if he had something else to say.

“No way, I should be the one praising you, Obito! You even have your Sharingan! Where in the world did you get that?”

Seeing his Sharingan surprised you. You knew that he wouldn’t have gotten it until after Rin was kidnapped; an event for which you managed to evade. You figured it was pure chance that he activated it while on the same mission.

Obito paused to think about exactly how it happened. His emotions were running extremely high, desperate to defend his dying friend.

“I got it when... well... d-don't worry about it, I can explain later,” he smiled as a red tinge appeared on his cheeks that almost matched the color of his Sharingan.

“Let’s just meet up with Minato-sensei and finish the mission already,” Kakashi interrupted dryly.

You inwardly sighed. _I guess one setback about me interfering is that Obito never gave Kakashi his ‘those who abandon their friends are worse than scum,’ speech, but it’s a small price to pay. Kakashi may still be strict but he will no longer have the “death” of Obito on his conscience, at least._

 

_~~~_

 

The rest of the mission was certainly a challenge, but you kept Rin, Kakashi and Obito close to you. Minato eventually managed to catch up to the four of you to destroy the Kannabi Bridge, effectively turning the tides of war.

_Mission completed._

The journey back home was a rather peaceful one. Every one of you were scratched up and exhausted beyond your limits, but the pride of completing such a difficult mission was evident on your faces. Taking a break from leaping through the trees, the group decided to walk on foot the rest of the way home. The silence was comfortable and was only broken with the occasional wind flowing or birds chirping. You instinctively found yourself looking up to your left next to Obito, your gaze carefully observing the right side of his face devoid of scars.

_He’s here because of you. His face and mind won’t become scarred because of what you did._

An overwhelming sensation of pride overtook you as you took the time to let the events over the last few weeks really sink in. You also took this time to note just how much taller Obito was getting compared to you. Distracted by your thoughts and his face, you almost failed to notice the looks and sighs of relief your group let out as they all stared in one direction. Eventually curiosity got the best of you as you joined their gaze, the object of interest being the village just overhead.

_I did it, Obito. I saved you._

 

_~~~_

 

“You really shouldn’t scare me like that,” Obito broke the comfortable silence as the two of you strolled through the village to walk him home after being away for so long.

Dumbstruck, you abruptly stopped and tried to process what he could mean by that, only for Obito to pause soon after and continue talking with his back still facing you.

“We almost lost you back there. I’m thankful that you protected Rin from that enemy ninja, but you need to look out for yourself too, you know,” Obito shot you a look not unlike a mother scolding her child; an expression that was partly irritated but more concerned than anything else.

“Oh, I… just did what came naturally,” you lied.

“I made a vow that I will protect you and my group at all costs. That’s my ninja way,” you explained as a heavy blush made its way to your face.

 _This is so cheesy but it’s the truth_ , you told yourself.

Obito’s eyes softened at your answer, and a faint blush also crept up on his cheeks.

“Y-yeah, well… just take it easy next time, alright? I don’t know what I’d do… if I lost you,” his light blush morphed into a feverish one as he struggled to express his feelings toward you.

Taken aback by his vulnerability, you opened your mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by two ANBU members suddenly appearing before you.

“(y/n) (l/n). Your presence is required at the Hokage’s office immediately.”

 

~~~

 

“HE DID WHAT?!’ Obito shouted in disbelief, his voice piercing the otherwise peaceful night sky.

He noticed your mood was melancholy the entire day and kept pressing you for answers, but you wanted to wait until the two of you were alone at the comforting spot on his rooftop before you made your confession.

“I disobeyed the direct orders of the Hokage, and starting today I'm no longer a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. He even said I’m lucky that he isn’t throwing me in the village guardhouse or executing me since I technically went rogue."

“But I thought you said he gave you permission?”

“I had to make that up. Otherwise, Minato-sensei would never have let me go. I’m sorry I had to deceive you, Obito. It was painful for me, too.”

At first Obito was insulted, but when he really thought about it, you were right. You had to lie to travel with them. If you didn’t then who knows what would have happened to them. To Rin.

But Obito couldn’t believe it. Even after all you went through on that mission, how you almost **died** because you valued your friend’s wellbeing above your own. He couldn’t accept it. He made it his goal to waltz up to the Hokage’s office tomorrow to talk with him _personally._

“It’s alright, though,” your soft voice disrupted Obito from his thoughts, “Everyone made it home safe, including Rin. I don’t regret anything.” you concluded with a light smile but your eyes gave away that you were only partially telling the truth.

Noting this, Obito persisted, “Still, I’m not going to accept this without a fight. I’ll make Lord Third change his mind, you’ll see.”

 

~~~

 

“Get out of here you disrespectful brat!” Hiruzen’s voice could be heard from outside his office. Just then, the door swung open and Obito went flying into the opposite wall in the hallway.

“Maybe calling him a senile old geezer wasn’t the best idea,” Obito pondered in a daze while his body remained stuck into the wall.

You then came around the corner and noticed Obito in the hallway. You had a feeling that Obito was going to cause trouble today, so you decided to check up on him – and you had a decent idea of where he would be.

“Hey, Obito! What are you doing here?” you acted surprised, “...And why is your outline etched into the office wall?” you pointed at the remnants and questioned with a bit of amusement in your voice.

“Forget that! I’ve been busy trying to make Lord Third reconsider his verdict and reinstate you as a ninja!”

“You’d really go through that trouble, for me?”

“Well yeah, of course I would, (y/n)! You’re my best friend! Not to mention what you did on that mission makes you a hero. They should be praising you!”

You began blushing hard at Obito’s words. _A hero? Me?_ You tried not to admit that everything you did on that mission was for him. Instead, you opted to keep quiet and revel in the fluttering feeling your heart made at Obito’s thoughtful words and actions.

“I know! Since you’re here, let’s both try to talk some sense into him!”

“Well, sure, that sounds like a solid plan. We need to brainstorm some points so we can properly swoon this guy. So what points did you come up with when you spoke with him the first time?”

Obito stared at you for a moment with his mouth closed in a straight line before his arm reached to scratch the back of his head.

“Y-yeah, about that. I sort of, just, stormed in to give him a piece of my mind. I didn’t really make any fair points.”

You laughed. _That is so like you, Obito_.

“Come on,” you grabbed his hand – not his wrist, but actual hand, and gently led him to the Hokage’s office, completely missing the blush that had quickly formed on his cheeks from the contact.


	6. No Expectations

It wasn’t easy, but after having a serious conversation with the Third Hokage, he actually gave in and reinstated your position as a Genin of the Hidden Leaf. What won him over was your point about Sakumo Hatake – Kakashi’s father – and how his disobeying actions benefitted the village by saving his comrades. The only reason why he took his life was because of the unethical rules posed by the village. You made a point that if it wasn’t for your actions, then Rin (and perhaps someone else) would not have made it back safe. Hiruzen’s decision surprised you. Turns out that geezer has a soft spot after all. He agreed under three conditions, however. One is to never disobey his orders and leave the village unauthorized again. Two, since you can’t go unpunished you must help with various tasks around the ninja academy two times a week for 6 months, as a form of community service.  And his final condition: to keep this incident between you, him, and Obito. It was a fair request since the village elders would surely have a fit if they learned about the Third’s unauthorized decision.

_He was, dare I say, breaking the rules._

 

~~~

 

Quite some time went by; you finished your mandatory community service at the academy, which left you wondering if you were that annoying when you were those kids’ age. You disregarded this thought, remembering that these kids are the future and many of them showed real potential and hope for this village. You were walking up to your door and were surprised to spot Rin already there.

“(y/n)! I’m glad I caught you!”

“H-hello,” is the only response you could come up with for the excited girl in front of you.

“I wanted to ask you if you would like to come with me and Obito to see Kakashi on his birthday,”

Kakashi at this age was incredibly mean-spirited and you sort of held a grudge from when he insulted your ‘inferior’ Earth Style techniques a while back so you were hesitant to agree, but you saw this as an opportunity to finally become friends with him. Besides, if Obito will be there, someone will have to keep his anger and jealousy under control. You volunteer as tribute.

“Sure, when’s it at?” you asked casually in an attempt to sound cool and laid-back but probably failed miserably.

“It’s right now! Obito was really hoping that you would come. I didn’t invite you before since I didn’t think you and Kakashi got along –“

“Obito wanted me to be there?”

“Of course!” Rin said cheerfully while making her way down the steps, with you apprehensively following behind her.

“We were on our way to get you until a woman asked him to help her carry something into her house, so I’m here on behalf of the both of us!”

You stayed silent, on the way there you made sure to keep a considerable distance between you and Rin.

~~~

 

The three of you reunited around Kakashi’s apartment. Rin was the one to knock and greet Kakashi when he opened the door. You mustered up the courage to greet Kakashi next, only to be blatantly ignored, which earned him a piercing stare from Obito.

“Rin, what are you doing here? There’s no emergency mission for us,” Kakashi stated in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Happy birthday, Kakashi!” Rin declared with a closed-eye grin while holding out a present.

Kakashi blinked in silence. He totally forgot his birthday was today. He hadn’t celebrated it since – well, nevermind. Birthdays and celebrations just wasn’t for him.

“Er, thanks for this, Rin, but that’s –“

“Hey what about us, Kakashi?!” Obito interrupted with his own irritated tone, “Me and (y/n) went out of our way to show up yet you can’t even glance our way? What’s up with you?!”

Obito was right. Kakashi didn’t acknowledge your presence or even look in your general direction. It really felt like you two were wasting your time here.

“Oh, pipe down already. It’s not like I asked you to be here, anyway,” Kakashi said bluntly while finally sparing Obito a side-eye glance.

The atmosphere became increasingly heavy and threatening.

With his teeth clenched, Obito had subconsciously balled his hand into a fist. His tone was low but strained and tense, “Exactly what do you have against us, anyway?”

His cool was clearly faltering.

 _This is new_ , you thought.

“I don’t want you here. I don’t know how to say it any more bluntly,” Kakashi then turned his body entirely to you, catching your full attention.

“And you. You’re not even on our team. Go home and find someone who actually wants to be around you. To me you’re nothing but useless.”

You heard yourself inhale a quick gasp. Deeply hurt by Kakashi’s words, your vision began to blur with tears while Obito’s turned red, both figuratively and literally.

“Wait guys,” Rin began. ”Everyone just calm d-“  

Sounds suddenly hit your ears. First was the sound of air moving, then flesh making harsh contact with flesh followed by a rough smack against wood. Before you or Rin could register what happened, Obito had Kakashi pinned against the wall; his mask slid down his cheek enough to display the clear remnants of a fist mark.

“Listen to me, we’ve been nothing but respectful to you and this is how you repay us?! What has (y/n) ever done to you, huh?!” Obito’s rage was inextinguishable. Kakashi blankly stared into the fierce crimson of Obito’s eyes.

“Look, say what you want about me, but don’t you _ever_ talk to (y/n) like that again. **Do you hear me, Kakashi**?”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Rin was completely stunned - this outcome was clearly not what she was expecting. The stillness in the air was accompanied only by the heavy breathing coming from the enraged Uchiha.

“O-Obito..?” you managed to choke out between holding back your tears, still hurt from before. That is when he finally broke his piercing glare away from Kakashi and back to you, his face immediately softening upon seeing your tears threatening to fall.

Obito directed his attention back to Kakashi, muttering, “You’re not worth it,” before easing his grip off him. Obito’s eyes returned to his onyx color when he turned to you and Rin.

“Let’s go. If he wants to be alone, then fine,” he said quietly, though somehow you could tell that he was in just as much pain as you were. As they left, Rin quietly glanced at Kakashi with a sympathetic yet disappointed look in her eye before she turned to catch up with the two of you, leaving Kakashi with nothing but his own thoughts.

 

~~~

 

The three of you aimlessly walked in brooding silence for a while, with you and Rin being too nervous to speak in fear of irritating Obito further.

 _This did not happen in the show,_ you quietly pointed out to yourself.

“(y/n).”

You looked up at Obito, who was still walking with a hint of anger in his step.

“You okay?” he asked gently while turning his head in your general direction but not directly looking at you.

“I - …this isn’t how I was expecting today to go,” is all you could come up with.

“I’m sorry guys,” Rin finally piped up. “This is all my fault.”

Obito interjected, “No way, it’s all because of that _Hatake.”_

The air grew silent again as you tried hard to come up with any positives to this situation. Then, it hit you.

“Hey wait a minute, this is actually perfect!”

Obito and Rin glanced at you in puzzlement.

"This is actually the first time in a while where it's just been the three of us together! Maybe we can find something that all three of us can enjoy.”

“That sounds like a great idea, (y/n)!” Of course Rin would agree to something like that.

“-but it’s getting late, all the places we could go to are closed.”

You contemplated your options for a moment and were very hesitant to share your thoughts, but words came out before you could stop them.

“How about we go to my place? I-I don’t have much, but I’m sure we can find something there!”

_What are you doing, (y/n)? There is absolutely nothing interesting in your house! Why do you think you spend your time at Obito’s-?_

“Hey, yeah. Come to think of it, I’ve only seen your house maybe a couple times since we met,” Obito thought out loud, “and it sure has been a while.” Finally, he cracked a smile for the first time that day.

Seeing that smile always gave you strength.

“Alright then, I’ll race you two! Last one there gets to clean my bathroom!” you shouted with a head start.

“Hey, no fair! Get back here and start over, you big baby!" Obito said as he chased after you with the playfulness entirely apparent in his tone, “What, are you afraid to lose?”

Rin smiled contently when Obito’s booming voice progressively shrunk the farther he traveled away from her.

 _(y/n) really brings out the passion in Obito,_ she mused as she began heading toward your house with a bounce in her step.

~~~

 

You were right; you really didn’t have anything entertaining to do at your house. Your time was spent mostly on training, missions or hanging out with Obito somewhere else. Your house almost felt foreign to you.

“So I know I don’t have much, but I think I do have something that will knock your headbands off – check this out!” you say with enthusiasm as you open up your freezer that was full to the brim with ice cream.

_Thank goodness I went to the store earlier._

You looked to them proudly only to notice their unimpressed faces and you couldn’t figure out why.

“Do you guys…not like ice cream? I know for a fact that you do, Obito! We go to the ice cream shop all the time!”

Obito snickered, “Yeah, and do you remember the flavor I like to get?”

It finally hit you that every tub of ice cream you own is plain old vanilla – Obito always preferred strawberry. Your cheeks flushed in embarrassment while your brilliant plan utterly flopped. Trying to save face, you looked around for anything that could be used as a distraction.

“Well, the only other thing I have is hanami dango that I picked up from the shop earlier,” you say sheepishly as you present the sweet dumplings to Obito and Rin. Both of their eyes lit up and they graciously accepted and devoured the dango, with Obito displaying less restraint, of course. That’s when you smiled and joined them at the table with an entire tub of ice cream in your hands. The next few hours were spent entirely at that table. You, Obito and Rin felt at home with each other discussing various subjects. You still felt inexcusably apprehensive toward Rin, but you continued to suppress those feelings for Obito’s sake. The conversations throughout the night ranged from missions, family, new jutsu, days at the academy, and of course, jokes. Each of you took turns telling your favorite jokes, and when it was Obito’s turn, he looked at the ceiling in thought for a moment before his face signed that he had reached an epiphany.

“So an Uchiha and Senju walk into a bar…”

By the time Obito finished his punchline, he immediately directed his attention toward Rin to scan her reaction, only to find her simply smiling quietly, but his gaze quickly diverted to his other friend when you instantly broke down in uncontrollable laughter at his joke. Surprised but pleased with your reaction, Obito put his hand on your shoulder and laughed loudly with you. The atmosphere was friendly and full of feelings of amity and mutual love. It made Kakashi and Obito’s outburst feel like a thing of the past. Almost.

 

~~~

 

As you bid your guests safe travels for the night, Obito continued his trek home while Rin suddenly stopped just outside your door and beamed with a close-eyed grin, "Thank you for the dango, (y/n), and for the wonderful night!" 

Silently staring at Rin, you were appalled to notice how her enchanting features illuminated beautifully under the moonlight.

_Obito loves her, not you._

At this thought, feelings began boiling up inside you. You tried hard to suppress your animosity for the girl all night, but with Obito gone, you found that restraint slightly loosened.

“It’s whatever, Rin. Don’t expect it to happen again,” you stated bluntly, as Rin opened her eyes in confusion.

“(y/n), what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Rin is _still_ acting kindly to you even after rebuffing her.

 _Why is she so perfect?_ You thought to yourself in anger.

You felt like you were about to snap at her, but then you reflected on the events that happened that day. Merely a few hours before, Kakashi was standing at his doorway just like you are now. Your friend is at the door, concerned only about you, just like Kakashi. You found yourself disgusted with how you were treating Rin the exact same way Kakashi treated you only hours before. With a sigh, you looked up to Rin’s impossibly big eyes with defeat evident in your own.

“Sorry. Please get home safe. Night.”

Every word you said was riddled with insincerity as you shut the door without another word.

Rin stood outside your door in shock, trying to process what would make Kakashi _and_ (y/n) snap today. Did she do something wrong?

_Did she… just lose two friends?_


	7. Regret

 

Life went on for you in the ninja world. The responsibility of saving Rin and Obito from that mission had plagued your mind for years, but now, you could finally rest.

_Those days are long gone._

These are thoughts you’ve repeated to yourself every night before bed, serving as a gentle reminder of the wonderful impact you have made on this world, and on Obito. Then, one night, the realization finally hit you.

It was Madara and Zetsu who set up Obito’s demise. It was they who kept Obito hostage, and it was they who ordered the kidnapping of Rin and implanted the three-tails into her, which led to her death. Since that plan was foiled – _what will they try next?_

Your eyes snapped open and you practically leaped out of bed in terror.

“Oh my god, oh my god, _oh my god._ Madara and Zetsu are still out there! I completely put a wrench in their plans, but that was only because I knew about it ahead of time. I changed everything because of that mission. Everything I watched from the show is now worthless! Everything from this point on is completely new and unfamiliar to me! That means I can’t rely on my ‘future vision’ anymore. Madara and Zetsu could easily come up with a new plan and target Obito. Heck, they could even target _me!_ Only this time I have absolutely no way to prepare for it!”

_Oh my god. What do I do? I can’t. I need to tell someone. But who? Obito is my best friend, but there’s no telling how this would affect him. Rin is – something. An acquaintance, maybe? Even if she were more, what could she even do about any of this? Kakashi? Out of the question. Lord Third would immediately be skeptical of what I saw. I don’t want to be a target for the ANBU, either. I need help…_

 

~~~

 

With your legs dangling and swaying off a nearby branch, you watched Team Minato at the training grounds from afar.

 _Maybe Obito was right. Maybe I really am a stalker,_ you joked to yourself in an attempt to calm your nerves.

No. You weren’t there exclusively for Obito. You were there with serious business. You watched each member spar for some time, paying especially close attention to Kakashi's Earth Style techniques. Despite the harsh words he said to you that one time, you couldn’t deny that Kakashi was talented. If he hadn’t reveal his ‘true’ feelings for you that instance at his home, maybe you would have asked him to join you in perfecting your Earth techniques together. You sighed. You knew that he would have declined anyway. His techniques were already perfect. After they had completed their training, you watched Rin start to patch up Obito. Immediately you noticed that something was off. You saw that Obito no longer blushed when he was around her.

_Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time he showed any signs of romantic feelings for Rin. Wait, I don’t have time for this right now. I need to talk to Minato-sensei!_

Hopping out of the tree you quickly dashed to catch the team’s attention before the famed Yellow Flash could disappear before your very eyes.

“M-Minato-sensei!” you managed to blurt out just before he turned to leave. You quickly but politely greeted the team, making sure to fist bump Obito before challenging him to a match with the stake of ramen later before turning your attention back to Minato.

Minato was the only one out of the group to notice your uneasiness.

“What is it, (y/n)?” he spoke softly.

"F-first of all, I wanted to congratulate you on being nominated for the next H-Hokage. You must be really nervous!”

Minato sported a knowing grin, “I don’t think _I’m_ the one who’s nervous here, (y/n)," he voiced calmly while bending down to your level, "You can tell me what’s going on,” 

You cautiously surveyed the training grounds, feeling uneasy about openly discussing such sensitive and compromising information. Of course you trust Obito with your life, but there’s no denying that he can be brash. He wouldn’t be able to handle the inconceivable notion of who he could have been. Immediately understanding your concern, Minato stood up and put his hand on your shoulder.

“We can go somewhere more private, if you’d let me.”

You nodded, turning to Obito one last time to say goodbye.

“You. Me. This spot. 6pm. Remember, ramen is at stake here!” you teased at Obito, to which he responded with a wink and thumbs up.

“Be sure to bring your wallet with ya, (y/n)!”

Minato then teleported the two of you.

You closed your eyes for only a second before you were in an entirely new location. _This is one of the safe houses Minato has spread out through the Land of Fire._ You noted how this one appeared somewhat familiar, as if it were the same house he teleported to during the Nine-Tails attack. The attack that was never going to happen, _you hope._ That’s what you wanted to discuss with him.

“Minato-sensei, I have to come clean.”

Minato blinked and kept a solid composure, “Go on, (y/n).”

“Listen, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound hard to believe, but this has to be taken _very_ seriously. I don’t know who else to turn to. I know you are probably the most levelheaded in the entire village. Not to mention, you’re about to become Hokage so I really think you deserve to know.”

You took a deep, slow breath.

“Minato-sensei, you know I’m an Earth-style user, but I have one more power that nobody – and I mean _nobody_ else knows about, not even Obito. It’s a form of future vision in a sense – I was able to see one linear path starting from the academy days up to even 30 years from now. But of course, some things happened that I didn’t agree with, so I… well… changed some things. But the things I’ve changed were so drastic that everything I’ve seen up to that point is so unlikely to ever happen now, so I essentially just lost that ability. Well, that’s not entirely true. How do I explain this…”

 _Get to the point, (y/n)._ You inhaled deeply once more.

“Madara Uchiha. He’s still alive.”

Minato squinted only for a split second, but it was enough to indicate his suspicion, so you continued.

“In the future I saw, Madara was partnered with a being called Zetsu, and they had a plan to essentially end the world. I saw that he ‘kidnapped’ and manipulated Obito by killing Rin, which fueled his hatred and despair, and then they used him as a pawn to start the Fourth Great Ninja War. He even had Obito –“

You paused for a moment, thinking back to the time you watched Obito, fueled by despair, release the Nine-Tails into the village, which ended Minato’s and Kushina’s life while simultaneously ruining their son's in the process. You decided to leave that part out for now. The rest of your story is bound to be overwhelming enough anyway.

“Well, the good news is I prevented Madara from getting a hold of Obito. The bad news – _the really bad news –_ is that I didn’t actually stop Madara himself. He’s still out there, and I don’t know if he or Zetsu will plan to target him again. I feel like I messed up, royally. For years, I truly felt like I had control over what was going to happen. Now, all of it is gone. I’m so lost, Minato-sensei. I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m – I’m scared.”

For once, Minato was speechless. He had a hard enough time accepting that you could see the future in a way, and to think that _the_ Madara Uchiha was still alive? A fourth great ninja war? Minato closed his eyes as he stood back up and stepped away from your frame with his back facing you.

“Well. That’s a lot of responsibility for someone of your age to handle, wouldn’t you agree?”

You blinked, unsure of how to respond.

“I understand why you decided to confide in me. I can’t tell you if what you did was truly the right choice, but given the opportunity, you wouldn’t change what you did, is that right?”

_That’s right. I wouldn’t change what happened on that mission in the slightest. I was prepared to die that day if it meant that they carried on. I just wish I thought through the implications a bit more clearly so I could be more prepared for if Madara and Zetsu tried to strike again._

“Obito,” Minato started, the name of your best friend drew your attention.

“You love him, don’t you?”

“L-love him? Well I m-mean, of course I do! He’s my best friend, it’s normal to care about him this much!” you defended yourself, knowing full well that Minato was intelligent enough to see right through you.

“You love him enough to completely change the outcome of the ninja world. That appears to be a special type of love to me,” Minato stated as he turned back around to face you.

“S-so what if I love him,” you admitted. “Does that really matter in a situation like this?”

“I bring this up because your feelings for each other is exactly what is going to help us get through this."

“So you’re essentially saying that we can beat Madara, regarded as a god of shinobi, with the power of – _love?”_ you uttered almost disrespectfully.

Minato frowned when you decided to feign ignorance and he began to walk toward you.

“Here is what we can do. Since the war has ended I can try to instruct a team of higher rank shinobi to scout for Madara and Zetsu – but there are never any guarantees. Your role, (y/n), is to keep a close watch on Obito. From the sound of it, the bond you two share will keep him from falling under Madara’s influences.”

_That’s a good point, actually. The reason why Obito fell into despair in the first place was because he lost the only person he’s ever cared for. With me in the picture, I can help him through anything Madara throws at us! But wait…_

But Obito doesn’t love me back, Minato-sensei. What if he begins to fall and I can’t pull him out of it?”

Minato simply smiled.

“Your connection with Obito is more precious to him than you think. Just have faith in him, that’s all he’s ever needed. And (y/n),” Minato placed a hand on your shoulder as he prepared to teleport you back.

“Don’t ever regret what you did.”


	8. Bonds

It had been a long time since your talk with Minato. He was now officially the Fourth Hokage and he kept his word to send out a special division to scout for Madara and Zetsu’s hideout, much to the team’s bewilderment and skepticism of why this team was formed in the first place. You and Minato decided to keep your knowledge of Madara and Zetsu between the two of you, so he created the scouting team under the pretense of searching for a special plant-like substance, one that has remnants of the First Hokage’s legendary Wood Style Jutsu. The team was ordered to search for a cave outside the Land of Fire and retrieve the substance, as it would be invariably useful for the village. Of course, the real purpose for the scouting team was to hopefully stumble upon evidence of Madara and Zetsu while on their search.

As for you, it was the time for the Chunin exams again. You decided to wait a few years before trying again, but now, it was time. Obito insisted on helping you through it but was immediately kicked out by proctors after he was caught trying to sneak in through the air vent.

“What gives? I thought in the Chunin Exams you were _supposed_ to cheat!” Obito’s words fell on deaf ears.

The exams were much easier this year, especially The Forest of Death section. You attributed this to how you have had an extra few years of experience as well as the fact that there were plenty of new Genin kids who didn’t quite know what they were doing, just like you during the first time taking the exams. This time you passed. You couldn’t hold your excitement as you feverishly pounded on Obito’s door to show him your new Chunin jacket. Obito was ecstatic. He had no doubts that you would make it this time.

“Is that why you insisted on helping me pass again?”

“Q-quiet! I just wanted to be 110% sure, there’s nothing wrong with that!”

The two of you decided to celebrate at Ichiraku Ramen. Obito insisted that he pay for yours this time as congratulations for becoming a Chunin, like him. As you two chowed down, your mind began to wander to Madara and any plans to target Obito, which unknowingly put a somber look on your face.

“Something wrong with your ramen, (y/n)? You don’t usually stop after only one. Not that I’m complaining since it’s my treat this time!” he says in a joking manner.

Your gaze bored a hole into the half-eaten bowl, and without removing your eyes from it, you spoke up.

“Obito, I’m a Chunin now. So that means we'll probably go on missions together again, right?”

Obito’s face lit up at your question.

“Yeah, that’s right! We can finally go on actual missions together! It’s going to be so great! With your Earth Style and my Fire Style, we’ll be unstoppable!” he exclaimed, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

You cracked a smile at his enthusiasm, before it quickly diminished again.

“These _actual_ missions are going to be risky, huh,” you said more as a statement than a question.

Obito began catching on to your tone.

“Well, yeah. We’ll actually be doing something meaningful for the village now,” he replied with his excitement also diminishing.

“Obito. Have you ever thought about what would happen if one of these missions were _too_ dangerous?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“What if, say, one of your teammates got captured and maybe even killed on one of these _real_ missions. Suppose it was me or _Rin._ Do you think you’d be able to handle that?” you asked, thinking back to the event that originally happened in the show.

_You prevented it once. Could you really do it again?_

“How could you say that?” Obito yelled loudly, his words clearly audible in the street outside the shop, “You shouldn’t think about your comrades or yourself that way! Where'd this even come from, anyway? You’ve been weird lately, (y/n).”

_Weird? I’m trying so hard to hide everything Minato and I talked about. I shouldn’t be surprised. Obito knows me so well by now, of course he could see that something was up._

Before you could respond to Obito’s concerns, an arm reached in to lift up the banners from the shop to reveal Kakashi standing there.

“Obito. (y/n). Lord Hokage needs to see us. Now,” and just as quickly as he appeared, he left.

You and Obito quietly exchanged glances before paying and heading to the office together.

~~~

“Really? Do you mean that, Minato-sensei?” Obito questioned in disbelief. You, Obito and Kakashi were called to the office for the purpose of going on an A-rank mission together. It’s uncommon for Chunin to go on such high level missions, but Kakashi’s status as a Jonin allowed some leeway for the two of you.

Minato nodded, “Your task is to find a man named Akito Yamanaka, a former Hidden Leaf Shinobi who went rogue due to an altercation in the Yamanaka clan.”

_The Yamanaka clan… that’s the clan Ino is from._

“He’s incredibly dangerous. His clan’s specialty is the mind transfer jutsu. Akito modified his clan’s secret technique to form a special technique, one that is notorious for digging into your mind and destroying one’s will.”

_Destroy one’s will? Sounds like the Sharingan, the type that is able to put others in a spirit-crushing genjutsu._

“Alright, leave it to us!” Obito said enthusiastically as he began to head out the door, only to immediately stop.

“…Uh, but what should we do when we find him?”

Minato stared blankly at Obito.

“He wants us to assassinate him. Idiot.“ Kakashi finished Minato’s thoughts.

Obito growled in irritation, “I’ve just about had it with –“

“Obito.” Minato interrupted with a slightly raised voice.

“…Yes, sensei.” Obito muttered, his agitated eyes directing toward the floor.

“Akito was spotted in the Land of Fire. We suspect that he plans on returning to the Hidden Leaf to steal secrets from the Yamanaka clan, and possibly other secrets as well. Your task is to find and intercept him before he can react. Use this to guide you,” Minato said as he handed you a map of the Land of Fire, where a specific area was highlighted.

“I suggest you start your search here. If he can’t be found, go here,” Minato added as he pointed out the specified areas marked on the map.

“The Yamanaka clan is counting on you three.”

“Yes, Lord Hokage,” you and Kakashi said in unison. Obito was the one to break the synchronization with a, “Yes, Minato-sensei.” The three of you then scattered.

“Lord Hokage, do you think it’s really wise to send out friends against an enemy like that? His specialty is severing bonds, after all,” questioned Minato’s assistant.

“That’s precisely why I had Kakashi join them on this mission,” Minato stated, looking unconcerned. “Kakashi does have a bond with (y/n) and Obito. It’s fragile, but it’s there. But Kakashi is more level-headed than the other two. He’s a decent safeguard just in case this doesn’t work. However, I have confidence that it won’t come to that.”

“Just in case what doesn’t work, sir?”

Minato’s eyes narrowed, remembering the plans Madara had for Obito.

_If this works, the bond between (y/n) and Obito will be stronger. Obito will learn to never lose hope with (y/n)’s help. He’d learn to control his despair. Madara will not influence this boy._

“I’m sending (y/n) and Obito for this mission specifically because I believe they have the ability to overcome such a unique adversary. The bond that (y/n) shares with Obito is exceptionally strong. He won’t break them easily. I believe in them."

~~

The start of your first mission as a Chunin proved to be tough. Not tough in a sense where there was danger at every turn, but rather, tough on the levels of trying to find and catch a stray cat. The three of you scouted everywhere, crossing off areas marked on the map where you’ve already searched. There was one area left on the map that you haven’t checked out yet and humorously it was within close proximity to the village.

“Why didn’t we just look there to begin with?” You and Obito sweatdropped.

On the way there, you and your team came across a clearing completely devoid of trees. This was an anomaly since the closer you were to the village the denser the forest became. Kakashi stopped in the middle of this clearing to scope out the area.

“What’d you find, Kakashi?” Obito inquired as Kakashi bent down to feel the ground.

“This space isn’t natural," Kakashi claimed suspiciously, "Someone cleared this area for something, and by the looks of it, it must've been recent.”

“But what for? Why would they choose this certain spot? I don’t understand,” you voiced your input to your team.

“Well, isn’t _that_ a surprise,” Kakashi scoffed as he stood back up.

“And what exactly do you mean by that,” Obito said threateningly as he stepped in front of Kakashi before he could walk off. Being 17 years old – two years older than Kakashi, Obito towered over him.

“Don’t play dumb. It’s no surprise that (y/n) has no idea what’s going on.”

Your fists clenched at Kakashi’s explanation.

“The both of you are just weighing me down, her especially. I wanted to search alone and cover more ground, but it was _(y/n)_ who decided that she was team captain and opted against it.”

Kakashi’s accusations were gnawing at you. You put up with his condescending attitude for as long as you could remember, hoping that being the bigger person would cause him to come around eventually, but at this point, you couldn’t have cared less about that.

“Nobody is team captain on this mission, Kakashi. Don’t act all high and mighty!” Obito spat as he began to narrow the gap between him and Kakashi aggressively.

“If we agreed to split up to catch Akito, then we wouldn’t have wasted our time searching each place one-by-one.” Kakashi voiced out his thoughts, which sounded like ones that had been on his mind for some time.

Kakashi started to pass Obito and he was about to physically stop him before the ground began to shift around Kakashi’s feet. Suddenly, a barrier made of mud rose and blocked off Kakashi’s designated path.

“You hold on, Kakashi,” you began to say, with the normal meekness in your voice replaced with unusual firmness.

“I get it. You view me as smaller than you. You think I’m just some timid girl who doesn’t know how to defend herself. You like to use me as a punching bag since I’m an easy target, right? Well have you ever stopped to consider the reason _why_ I have to act this way around you?! Why I don’t just fight back?”

Obito’s eyes widened with shock at your increased confidence. You had both of their complete attention.

“Every time you made a jab at me, Kakashi. Every pointed glare, every time you shunned me, insulted my skills, my intelligence... I held back. I never said anything to hurt you back _. Do you know why?”_

Silence. As if you were expecting an answer, anyway.

“Because all these years I thought that if I swallowed my pride, then you’d eventually open up to me and we could be _friends._ All these years I never gave up on that idea,” your voice began to grow quieter with every word while tears formed at the corner of your eyes, signaling your fading confidence.

“but I think I just have.”

You reversed the mud wall to let Kakashi be on his way after spilling everything you’ve wanted to say since you met the young Jonin. Though surprisingly, Kakashi didn’t move. It was hard to see his reaction under that mask but his tired eyes displayed hints of shame and regret. Obito had the opposite reaction. He slowly and quietly walked toward you, his eyes never leaving your face. You were the first one to break off your line of sight with him and instead opted to stare at the ground while your tears dropped without restraint. Obito then stopped directly in front of you, with your forehead barely reaching past his chin. You could feel his eyes staring right at you, and slowly you began to lift your head up to meet his gaze, but before you could, warm arms promptly wrapped around your back and shoulders in a powerful grip. Obito held you firmly against him in a tight and strong embrace - one that wordlessly told you, ‘I’m here. I’m so proud of you.’

You couldn’t believe what was happening. You and Obito have always had an overwhelmingly strong emotional connection, but outside of your usual fist bumps, playful brushing of the shoulders or occasional grabbing of the hands to lead somewhere, you and Obito generally kept your distance physically.  This was done mostly to keep your feelings for him in check; being absolutely terrified of the heartbreak you are expecting from your best friend if you tried to strengthen your bond with him any further. You tried so hard, but you had finally accepted that those efforts were entirely in vain as your arms raised and secured around Obito’s back to return his sweet gesture. Voicelessly responding to his touch, your body silently told him, ‘thank you.’’

The moment passed too soon. Before you knew it, Obito eased his hold off you and stared at your face with reassuring and adoring eyes.

 _This is so unlike him,_ you thought. _Well, I suppose the way I acted just now was totally unlike me, too._

Eventually the two of you turned to Kakashi who was watching the whole thing, still unmoved from the spot where you stopped him before. Your gaze was neutral, allowing him to soak in everything you had said. He peered up at your face and you saw a subtle change in his eyes before spotting movement in his mask as if he were about to speak.

“(y/n),” Kakashi began softly, “Look, I – **Lookout!** “

Kakashi’s words were suddenly interrupted as a kunai darted out from one of the trees in the distance with it aiming straight toward you. The three of you leaped into the air to dodge, though while in midair you noticed Obito’s arms tightly around you with a determined look on his face as he looked out into the distance. Just in case there were any more attacks, he was ready to defend you.

Landing back on the ground, a tall form emerged from the clearing as it casually yet confidently strolled up to the three of you.

“Hello, you three starchildren! How are you?” the form asked, making sure to emphasize every syllable he said. His voice did not match the mysterious figure at all.

“If you’re gonna try and be chummy with us then why the hell did you attack us?” Obito questioned in irritation.

The form clicked his tongue at the Uchiha to indicate that he was unthreatened by his unfriendly demeanor. As the man got closer, the team was able to take in his features. The man had light, faded blond hair. He wore a tattered, unappealing purple gown that indicated that he had been on his own for a while.

“Now this is certainly odd, it’s not often I get the pleasure of meeting young Genin around here. A little far from home, don’t you think?”

Obito was entirely insulted by being mistaken as a Genin, as if it were the greatest dishonor. Before he could do anything brash, you spoke up.

“Hi, we’re looking for someone. Do you think you would be able to help us?” you asked innocently, earning baffled looks from both Kakashi and Obito.

 _What – WHY did you just say that, (y/n)? We’re on a secret assassination mission - not trying to find our way to the local park! Of course he’s not going to help us! We don’t even know who this guy is! No wonder it took you so long to become a Chunin!_ You chastised yourself.

“Now that is just too adorable. There’s no way someone as naive as you could have any useful information, but it’s been a while and my funds are getting low, so I guess I have no choice.”

“Just tell us who you are already!” demanded the impatient Uchiha.

Why, I’m Akito Yamanaka, could you not tell by the hair?” he says as he combs through his bright locks flamboyantly.

_Akito Yamanaka. No way. It’s him!_

“Or perhaps, don’t tell me you haven’t heard of me?”

“Oh we’ve heard of you alright,” Obito started, “We’ve been out for days looking for y-“ the rest of Obito’s words were mumbled after Kakashi’s hand slapped over his mouth.

“Quiet down Obito, we need to take him by surprise,” Kakashi instructed in a whisper so low that you barely heard any of it despite standing right next to them.

“-Take me by surprise, you say?” Akito confirmed, earning looks of pure shock from you and your team’s faces.

“Now I know what you’re going to ask. It’s going to go something like, ‘ _you can read minds? But I didn’t see any hand signs,’_ Akito said, using a mocking tone to poorly imitate Obito’s voice.

“But that’s not all I can do," Akito formed a couple hand signs at a lightning-fast pace before posing his index fingers and thumbs together.

 _The Yamanaka’s signature hand sign,_ you quickly muttered to yourself.

Before you could react, Akito directed his hands toward you. Suddenly your vision began to blur, and you felt increasingly weak in the knees. Looking over at you, Obito noticed you struggling and began calling out for you.

“(y/n), what’s wrong? What’s happening to you?” he begged for an answer as your legs continued to tremble before finally giving out, to which Obito bent down to hold you up without hesitation. The muffled voices around you grew worse, with you only making out parts of it –

“Careful Obito, we don’t know what he’s done to her –“

“I’m not going to just leave her vulnerable on the ground –“

“Think about this, if you get caught we will all –“

Eventually you couldn’t make out any words, and you soon lost consciousness.


	9. How Could You?

You finally awoke to the sounds of yelling coming from the Uchiha boy chained to the wall across from you. You took in your surroundings, noting how you, Obito and Kakashi were each chained to a separate wall in the same incredibly tiny square bunker. The area was so miniscule that your legs were able to make contact with theirs, effectively forcing the three of you to stare at nothing else but each other. Your brain then began to register an unimaginable pain…

“LET US GO, YOU BASTARD!” Obito screamed at the top of his lungs as he clawed desperately at the chains restraining him.

“QUIET DOWN, OBITO!” Kakashi uncharacteristically screamed back. “There’s nothing you can do now.”

“What,” Obito stated firmly, trying hard to keep his remaining composure, “Are you seriously going to give up, just like that? You aren’t even going to  _try_  to get the  **hell** out of here?”

“Look around you, Obito! It’s pointless. Our best course of action is to keep quiet and listen to his demands,” Kakashi instructed.

“No. No way. I’m not going to give in to some low-life  _rogue_  ninja who can’t even come down and FIGHT ME FACE TO FACE –“

“ – OBITO!“

Akito chuckled from afar as the two continued to argue.

“At this rate, I won’t even need to use my jutsu. They’re already pouncing at each other –“ Immediately after saying this, the yelling suddenly stopped. Curious, Akito peered down at the team.

There was still noise emanating from inside, but it was a complete switch from yelling – it was  _crying._

“(y/n)? (y/n), what’s wrong?” Obito cooed softly, your whimpers immediately extinguishing his previous rage.

“M-my..hand..it..it –  _hurts_!” you managed to whine out, both of the boy’s gazes then landed on the hand chained at your side. The fingers were mangled, bending at angles where they shouldn’t be, earning a wince from Kakashi and a gasp from Obito.

“Oh, that?” Akito finally made his presence known. “I’m aware that her Earth Style techniques specialize in protection, meaning she is able to skillfully shift the area around her better than most other Earth style users could. I would've done the same for you, the one with the mask, but you are actually a bit of a threat – too much so to get close. I’m lucky my jutsu was able to capture you in time. You are a fast one, but you should have considered deploying some teamwork instead of trying to tackle me alone,” Akito said to Kakashi before turning his attention back to you.

“She was weak, so I seized the opportunity when I saw it –“

Staring at your injury, Obito seethed.

“You…” he initially whispered. “HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HER? I’M GONNA TAKE YOU DOWN MYSELF, YOU SON OF A –“

“-you should be thankful that I only bothered with breaking  _one_ of her hands!” he interrupted. "Not that it really matters. You three are going to die here, anyway. But not before I dig into some juicy gossip!"

“B-but… why?” you managed to exhale between gasping cries.

“I like to capture ninjas from different villages and scan their minds for village secrets and then sell the intel to other nations. It’s why things didn’t work out between me and the Yamanaka Clan, but that can get boring, so I like to switch it up by making my guests turn on each other! You’d understand if you lived alone out here for as long as I have.”

The three of you stared in disbelief. Minato did mention that he has the uncanny ability to destroy one’s will in a unique fashion.

_No! I need to form a barrier and shield Obito and Kakashi! But... my hand... forming signs is impossible now._

“Let’s see. Eeny, meeny, miny,  **you** _.”_

He finished maliciously as he pointed to Kakashi. Despite what transpired between you and Kakashi, you didn’t want to see him in pain. Akito formed the familiar Yamanaka hand pose and directed it exclusively at Kakashi.

Then, there was silence.

“Hmm.. not much for intel…”

 _Kakashi doesn’t know as much about village secrets because I came along. Since I stopped Obito’s and Rin’s death, Kakashi never joined the ANBU division and learned secret village intel._ You mentally sighed in relief.

 _Then again, if everything played out like in the show, Obito and Kakashi wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place._ You sighed again.

“- but what’s this?” Akito asked enthusiastically.

“Looks like you three have gotten into a scuff or two recently, huh? It would appear that the masked one really hates the two of you, especially the female,”

Your eyelids slowly lowered in sadness.

“– that’s what I’d like to say, except it’s actually quite the opposite. Boring. Moving on now.”

_What? Kakashi doesn’t hate me?_

You couldn’t believe it. However, you didn’t have much time to let it sink in, as Akito then aimed his hands at  _you._

 _Oh no._ You pleaded in your head.

“Oh  _yes,”_ replied Akito out loud, reading your thoughts.

…Silence.

Deafening silence.

You felt nothing but the wild and painful pounding in your chest and hand. The secrets you’d been trying so hard to keep from your best friend for years was now threatened to be spilled by this disgustingly malicious rogue ninja. Suddenly you felt it; your mind drew a blank as he scanned your memories. It felt… mesmerizing.

“This…this is…” Akito spoke, unsure of how to react to your thoughts, feelings and memory. He saw everything that was, and everything that could have been. Rin and Obito’s death. The Nine-Tails Attack. The Uchiha Massacre. The death of the Third and Fourth Hokage. The Fourth Great Ninja War. All of these events that you vowed to keep from happening, and he knew it all. It clashed with the events taking place in this timeline.

“What - what is this? What are these…  _thoughts_?” Akito questioned out loud, his voice displaying vulnerability for the first time.

“…Woman. You are something special, aren’t you?” he interrogated you, unsure of what else to say.

“I wonder how much I could get for you with the amount of… intel you have up there. I don’t understand your thoughts but I’m sure a village somewhere wou-”

 **“You stay away from her!”** Obito demanded as he wrestled with his binds again.

Akito released his hold on you and turned his attention to Obito.

“You. You’ve been a thorn in my side since I met you. For that, I’m going to wound you. Or rather it’s not me who’s going to do it, it’s  **her.** ” he announced, pointing at your slumping form.

“I don’t know what's going on in that mangled, unorganized web she calls a mind, but in my search I did find something that I think even you could understand,” Akito crackled as Obito looked on at him with eyes red and full of contempt, that is, until he mentioned her name.

“Rin,” Akito neutrally stated, immediately shutting up Obito, his eyes changing to confusion. At her name, he retracted his Sharingan.

“ **NO!”** you shrieked, knowing precisely where this was going.

“She’s some girl who you’re in love with, correct? At least, that’s what (y/n) seems to think.” 

Obito’s eyes widened for a moment.

_How did she know about that?_

“But you wanna know what else (y/n) thinks?”

“STOP! Shut your mouth NOW!” you screamed the loudest Obito had ever heard you. Akito only smiled mischievously.

“She hates her, Obito. (y/n) absolutely, positively  _loathes_ this girl Rin. Now here’s the juicy part. I read in her mind that (y/n) wished there was a way for Rin to ‘go away.’ To, ‘vanish,’ if you catch my drift.”

“She… what?” is all Obito could muster at the revelation.

“Does that hurt you?” he teased.

“…”

“Is it painful?”

“…”

“It should be. According to (y/n), you love Rin to death. How does it feel to know that your ‘best friend’ feels such a deep revulsion toward your crush, so much that she wouldn’t mind if she were  _dead_?”

“…”

“Did you know?”

“…”

“Did she tell you, Obito?”

Obito was astonished. There was no way that such a sweet girl like (y/n) would harbor such resentment toward their friend, Rin. No. There’s just no way! All those times the three of them would hang out, laugh and enjoy each other’s company… was it all a lie? (y/n) wanted Rin  _dead_?

Obito’s mind was racing, his eyes frozen in shock; the emotions coursing through him were indescribable and overwhelming as he lowered his head down in defeat.

“Obito, I –“

“Is it true, (y/n)?” Obito interrupted, his voice shaking.

“Is that how you really feel about Rin? Even after everything the three of us have been through…?”

Kakashi had no choice but to watch everything that was happening. He had no idea you felt this strongly about someone as innocent as Rin. Kakashi was in the opposite situation. He acted as if he hated you when he is actually fond of you, while you pretended to like Rin, come to find out that you can’t stand her. Kakashi was then shaken out of his thoughts by Obito’s sudden uproar.

“Even after going out of your way to save her; she healed you and saved your life. All that time we spent together and  _that_  is how you FEEL ABOUT HER?!”

You were horrified, not only by Obito  _screaming_ at you for the very first time, but also by finally coming to terms with your true feelings for Rin.

_I… I would never kill Rin… but I wouldn’t be sad if she were gone._

You felt absolutely horrible. The reason you wouldn’t mind Rin’s departure is because you wanted Obito all to yourself. Obito loved Rin, you thought. If she were gone, maybe then you would have even the slightest chance with him.

 **“Answer me!”** Obito demanded, with a familiar sound accompanying his words.

_That sound… did he just…?_

“Obito,” you started weakly, finally mustering the courage to meet the Uchiha’s scornful gaze: Anger. Betrayal. Confusion. Heartbreak.

“Did you just… activate your Sharingan… on  _me_?”

Obito paused, his eyes slightly widening for a moment in realization that he did in fact activate his Sharingan on his best friend.

“I… guess I did.” Obito then went silent, shamefully lowering his head down to where you couldn’t see his face.

“(y/n)…” Obito’s voice was hoarse, his body trembling.

“Just, how – how could you?”

You could explain your reasoning.  _It’s because I’m a selfish, envious person who wants her friend all to herself,_ but you had a feeling that he wouldn’t like that answer. Instead, you decided that it was  _your_ turn to ask questions.

“What is it about her that makes  _her_ so special, anyway?!” you began, shocking Obito into a milder expression.

“From the first day we met, I knew you were something special. When you told me it was your dream to be Hokage, I made it mine to grow up with you and see your goal through. I have been nothing but loyal and devoted to you, Obito. Rin always had her attention on Kakashi. She never gave you the attention you  _deserve,_ Obito! I saw how she never returned your feelings, and I couldn’t stand it. I kept trying to process how someone like her couldn’t see someone as incredible and passionate as you. Seeing how hard I’m trying for you, only for her to win all of your love instead…”

You fumbled over your words; tears ran down your face and pooled onto the exposed skin of your lap.

“Obito. Loving someone who doesn’t love you back,”

You lifted your head to look Obito straight in the eye.

“It’s  _hell._ ”

Obito was speechless. He knew all too well the feeling of unreciprocated affection.

“But please tell me Obito, even if you never talk to me again,  _please_ tell me…” you begged as you continued to sob, with tears still streaming down your face.

“What does Rin have that I don’t?”

In one of the very few times of his young life, Obito had nothing to say.

 _What was it about Rin that attracted him to her?_ Obito never truly thought about it.

Growing up, Rin was the only one to give him  _any_ sort of attention, even if it still wasn’t  _that_ much. Then you came along out of nowhere and showered him in affection that he wasn’t used to, so much so that Obito didn’t know how to handle it. He then thought back to all the times you and him spent together throughout the years: eating ramen and ice cream, sparring together at the training grounds, going on missions together,  _star gazing._ She truly was always there for him whenever he needed her.

“When I told you about my Ninja Way, that I would do anything to protect my comrades, I made that vow because of  _you._ I’d do anything to protect you, Obito,” you sighed and continued, “I know I’m not a skilled ninja, but all these years I always thought that I’ve done a decent job keeping you from harm. Except it looks like  _I_ was the one who hurt you the deepest. I’m so sorry, Obito…” You met his eyes again and gave the lightest of smiles; the sharp pain in your heart distracted you from the pain of your broken hand.

“I made it my goal to never give up on you and to help you become Hokage, and yet, no matter how you feel about me from this point on, I’ll never stop believing in you.”

“(y-y/n)…” Obito managed to choke out through his tears. All of these sensations, these conflicting emotions of warmth and anger – it was unbearable.

“I know that Rin is innocent in all this. It’s not fair to her that I’ve been holding my feelings back. When we get out of this, I’m going to tell Rin everything about how I feel. I can’t keep this up anymore. She deserves to know the truth. I…”

You averted your gaze to the ground before shifting it back to Obito again.

“I want to ask for her forgiveness. Maybe only then I can ask for yours.”

“(y/n)…” Obito said softly, commendation and appreciation was apparent in his eyes and voice.

“Hold it there,” Akito finally interjected, “That was a touching speech and all, but I think you missed the part where I said you were going to die here.”

You and Obito looked up at the man with exasperation.

“It’s you! This is all your fault! All you’ve done is try to make us turn on each other! Come down here so we can have a real fight!” demanded Obito, to your relief his fiery personality returned.

All the while, Kakashi had been formulating a way of getting out of there. During you and Obito’s screaming episode, Kakashi managed to secretly and barely form hand signs to activate his Lightning style to singe off the old, rusted cuffs. Now the next step is distraction. But how?

“Alright, alright, enough already. You’re all beginning to be real downers. I’ll just do quick skim through your thoughts and be done with you,” Akito said dryly to Obito as he prepared his hand seals.

Obito was livid. He invaded his best friend’s mind, spilled her secrets; he broke her hand and her spirit. Obito was still upset with her, but he’d be damned if he allowed anything else happen to her.

“No. That’s enough. I won’t let you torture me or my best friend anymore!” Obito exclaimed, him still referring to you as his best friend struck a chord of relief through you.

Akito raised an eyebrow, wondering what gave Obito his confidence back. Just then, Obito leered straight up at the man, his eyes as red as blood. Suddenly Akito stopped. Frozen in place, he stared, entranced by Obito’s eyes.

_What’s going on? What’s he doing?_

Akito was mesmerized, put under a paralysis genjutsu conjured by Obito’s Sharingan.

 _Now._ Kakashi thought to himself as he sprang into action.

Suddenly a blinding, crackling light appeared next to you before Kakashi leaped up to Akito’s level; the electricity in his hand was accompanied by what sounded like a bird of sorts. As fast as lightning, Kakashi thrusted his arm into Akito’s chest.

_The Chidori._

Immediately after, Kakashi swiftly stole the kunai Akito had on hand before slashing him with it, right down the middle. Akito’s body trembled before slumping on his side. You were still tied up and shocked, unable to process what just happened only a few moments before. Obito blinked a couple times, releasing the genjutsu and his Sharingan and quietly returned his gaze to you.

_It’s over._

There was silence for what felt like hours. The only audible sound came from Kakashi’s labored breathing as he stood over Akito’s lifeless form. Finally, you decided to speak up.

“Are…are you alright, Obito?”

Obito stared at you for a moment before a small smirk appeared on his lips.

“Heh, I was about to ask you the same thing… there you go always reading my mind -  _you big weirdo,”_ Obito said with a playful cockiness that reassured you.

_We’re gonna be okay._


	10. Realization

_It didn’t matter how Obito felt,_ you tried reasoning with yourself. When you arrived in this world, you decided that the reason for it was to save Obito and nothing else. You achieved that goal. Whether or not Obito disliked you was irrelevant.

_Oh who am I kidding. It is totally relevant to me._

But still, after that mission with Obito and Kakashi you realized some things. Obito was important, but that doesn’t mean that you should be neglecting the other people in this world. You were specifically referring to Kakashi and Rin. Never in a million years would you have guessed that Kakashi actually _liked_ you.

_But if he truly likes me then how come he’s been treating me so poorly?_ This is a thought that will have to wait.

The most important thing to focus on right now was _Rin._ During your captivity, you made a vow to Obito that you would confess and make amends with her. You never liked Rin in the show. She was a typical ‘nice’ girl with no real problems or flaws, but getting to know her firsthand let you experience just who she truly was – Rin really was remarkable, but you couldn’t see that under that thick, suffocating cloud of jealousy. You truly did want to make things up to her, but that’s easier said than done.

_Have you ever had someone who you once thought was your friend just waltz up to you one day and had them say they hated you, but they don’t anymore so that makes it all okay?_

You audibly sighed. Gathering up the courage to do so is a work in progress. There’s another issue you have to address, though, and that is your relationship with Obito. Minato warned you that Akito Yamanaka was known for destroying spirits and breaking bonds. You and Obito are still strong, he assured you, but he asked for some time to think by himself. That absolutely terrified you. Obito had never asked for time away from you. Even though he told you that you two were okay, you couldn’t escape the notion of Obito realizing he hated you and that he never wants to see you again.

_That_ is your worst nightmare, you decided.

Obito, on the other hand, was in utter turmoil. As he laid down on his rooftop staring at the stars alone for the first time, it became increasingly, unbearably lonely without you. But he had to think. He couldn’t get what you said out of his mind.

_“Obito. Loving someone who doesn’t love you back,”_

_“It’s hell.”_

Obito squeezed his eyes shut as he struggled to accept what those words really meant.

_Was the reason (y/n) hated Rin because she was envious of her? What reason would she have to be jealous? (y/n) is already amazing in every way!_

_But wait…_

_…Does that mean (y/n) loves me?_

Obito couldn’t comprehend being on the receiving end of love and affection.

Obito thought back to when the three of you were traveling back to the village after your successful assassination mission. He was in the middle of bandaging your injured hand when you spoke up -

_“Obito, what was that back there? You looked up at Akito and suddenly he just froze. Was that your Sharingan?”_

_“Yeah, I think so.”_

_“But I’ve never seen you use it like that before. What made you suddenly do it?”_

_“I…I’m not sure. I just remember being so disgusted by that guy. How he treated us, how he treated you – I just couldn’t stand it anymore.”_

Obito knew now. He was able to unlock a new genjutsu ability with his Sharingan because all he could think about was you and the danger you were in. The feeling matched his mission in the Land of Grass when you were almost killed before his very eyes. Since that first mission, Obito battled with his emotions about how he felt about you – and how he felt about Rin.

But now, he was certain.

Rin is still a close friend. He was still deeply hurt when your true feelings for her were revealed to him. There was a time where he believed that Rin was the one for him, but the more he thought about it, the more he found beauty in you. You and Rin were similar in a lot of ways – you both were kind and gentle with a heavy emphasis on support and protection for your friends, but you were different. There was a fire in you – one that held goals and passions, ambitions and big dreams. He wants to help you achieve those dreams just like how you want to help him reach his. You made mistakes, but you were willing to change and grow as a person, and he was all-too eager to help you with that. If he were honest, Obito looked up to you to help him grow, too.

It was at that moment, he realized.

~~~

The next day, you found yourself walking through Rin’s neighborhood, the fear and apprehension of what you were about to do grew with every heavy step. You decided to face your fears now, or risk it eating at you for who knows how long. The last time you really talked to Rin was when you coldly shut the door in her face after what was otherwise a wonderful night. That was so long ago. You had no idea how she’d respond.

The door to Rin’s house in front of you took you out of your thoughts as you stared at its wooden frame. You began knocking at the door with force that dwindled after every knock, signifying your diminishing confidence. The door opened moments later to Rin – but she looked… _taller?_ No, you piece together this this must be her mother.

“H-have you found her? Is she safe?” The distraught woman begged you for answers while you stood there with confusion strewn across your face.

“H-huh? Found her? Found who?”

The woman immediately broke down in tears as her hands reached to cover her face. You don’t have people sobbing in front of you often, but you felt the overwhelming urge to help.

“What happened? You can tell me what’s going on, I… I want to help,” The woman began to settle down at your words. You thought for a moment.

“Are you talking about Rin?”

At her daughter’s name, the woman began crying harder.

_Oops._

“W-wait, it’s okay! I’m a ninja and Rin is my friend. Tell me what happened and I’ll find her!”

_Asking for Rin’s forgiveness will have to wait._

The next thing you knew, you were dashing across the village to reach Obito’s house. You felt guilty that you were about to speak to Obito after he’d asked for time alone, but this was an emergency. Rin’s mother explained through sobs that Rin had left for her night shift at the Hidden Leaf Hospital days ago but never came back. You pondered various explanations to why that could be.

Maybe Rin’s been busy and opted to sleep at the hospital between shifts? No, they already searched there.

_Duh._

Next, maybe she had been training _so_ hard at the training grounds that she collapsed in exhaustion and didn’t come home?

_Now that’s just a stretch, (y/n)._

You sorted through different scenarios that just didn’t make sense as you continued your trek to tell Obito…

_…_

_Maybe Zetsu and Madara got ahold of her._

You stopped in your tracks at the thought. You’ve always anticipated them kidnapping Rin as a possibility, but you’ve always expected them to do so while she was out on a mission and away from the village. To think that they would capture her while she was within the village borders, surrounded by Jonin and ANBU? It just doesn’t make sense! That is, until you remembered why Zetsu was so threatening in the original show. Zetsu has the unique ability to morph himself into _any_ individual, and even copy their DNA and chakra signature down to the single, finest detail. With this, you realized, Zetsu can take form of anything or _anyone_ he wanted. He must have disguised himself as a member of the village to infiltrate with ease and lure Rin away somewhere. She’d be too kind to reject someone’s call for help, after all. Satisfied with your conclusion, you dashed for Obito’s house again.

~~~

_What am I going to tell her?_ Obito questioned, dejected. He wasn’t even sure if he _should_ tell you. After what he said to you on that mission, after he utterly _screamed_ at you for something that was more or less out of your control; he’d be amazed if you still wanted to see him after that. You did say that you plan to make amends and be real friends with Rin, though. Obito smiled at the thought.

Suddenly, a couple frantic but relatively polite knocks thumped at his door, a familiar voice followed soon after, a voice that’s always soothed him.

“Obito. Obito, are you home?”

_It’s her._

_Well, it’s now or never, Obito._

Opening his door and seeing you, Obito had to stop himself from blushing. He was distracted by the things he’d planned to tell you, though his mind went completely blank after seeing your face.

_When did (y/n) get to be so beautiful?_

“H-hi,” (y/n) said meekly as she took Obito out of his thoughts, her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

“Hey. I’m… really happy to see you again,” Obito started, his fierce blush returning, unable to stop it.

“I’m so happy to see you, too, Obito,” What you said was an understatement.

After a moment, the two of you spoke up in unison, speaking over one another

“(y/n), I need to tell you someth-“

“Obito, Rin’s in troub-“

Both of you paused, silently trying to figure out where to go from there. Assuming that what you had to say was more important, you were the first to speak back up.

“Obito, don’t freak out, okay? Rin has gone missing. People have been looking for her for days but there’s no sign of her or her chakra signature either in the village or around the Land of Fire.”

Obito has stunned. He had been so preoccupied with you that he didn’t notice that his only other friend had disappeared.

“We have to go find her right now!” Obito commanded, his face full of uncertainty but also determination. He hadn’t even bothered to ask what happened, his only concern was finding and retrieving his friend.

You nodded as the two of you left for the gate.

~~~

The gate to the village was quickly approaching when you remembered something. You skidded your feet to a halt just outside the exit when Obito stopped and turned toward you in confusion. “(y/n) come on, we can’t waste time here!”

“Wait Obito, I can’t leave.”

“What? Rin’s gone missing, how can you not leave? I thought you were going to make amends with her?!”

“Obito, remember what I promised the Third Hokage all those years ago? I promised that I would never leave the village unauthorized again. We need to go see Minato-sensei.”

Obito was getting irritated.

“We don’t have time to get permission, (y/n)! Rin could be in trou-“

“Think this through, Obito!” You cut the Uchiha off with a slightly raised voice. “If we go, we’ll be regarded as rogue ninja. You remember what happened last time I went ‘rogue’ don’t you?”

You were frustrated. You knew that the Fourth Hokage has had a special team dispatched specifically to track down Zetsu and Madara, so going to him may be useful. Obito doesn’t know this of course, so it was challenging to try to convince him to go with you. You sort of regret not going to Minato first, but when you’re under a lot of stress, naturally, you look to Obito first.

“I don’t care about that, and I don’t care about what the shinobi rules say either!” Obito says, as he turns his back toward you to look out into the distant forest. “In the shinobi world, those who break the rules and laws are regarded as scum,”

_Is he seriously giving me **that** speech?_

“but those who abandon even one of their friends, are worse than scum.” As Obito finished, his head turned back to you with determination in his eyes. You were momentarily hit with a wave of Déjà vu.

_I can’t believe he just said that to me._

You were somewhat offended that Obito would say that to you. It implied that he was regarding you as worse than scum. Maybe you _were_ scum when you blindly hated Rin, but things are different now.

“Obito, don’t think for a _second_ that I’m abandoning you or Rin,”

Obito turned back around to face you while you talked.

“but think about it. If we left now, where would we go? The Hokage can help to give us at least a general direction on where to find her.”

You held out your hand to your best friend.

“Come with me. We’ll save Rin together, and I promise to protect the both of you with my life.”

You say as Obito looked on, his expression softened considerably at your words. He then wordlessly gripped your hand tight as you two exchanged smiles and nods as you head to the Hokage’s office together.


	11. The Limit

It had been at least a couple weeks since you and Obito began your search for Rin and Madara’s hideout. The Fourth Hokage was able to gather enough intel to determine that a copious amount of what appeared to be an aloe-like substance with traces of Rin’s DNA was found in the areas around The Hidden Sound Village and The Village Hidden by a Waterfall, much to the investigation team’s bewilderment. You thought this was strange. One of Zetsu’s tasks in the show was to properly destroy evidence, and by “properly,” you are of course referring to the fact that he eats people until there’s nothing left. It was suspicious that Zetsu would get careless and leave an evident trail…

…Unless he _wanted_ you to follow him.

Not only that, but you also learned that a mysterious figure was seen around the village shortly before Rin’s disappearance. They noted that an accident happened where a beam to a building in construction feel and struck the man and white ooze seeped out instead of red blood which confirmed your suspicions that Zetsu and Madara were on the move. Thankfully, due to that consequential talk you had with Minato where you confessed everything, he was confident in granting you and Obito immediate permission to search for Rin. Minato believed in you two; he knew that you and Obito gave each other the courage needed to persist in this mission.

 

~~~

 

“Not yet, just a little longer,” Obito huffed out between heavy breaths.

The two of you have been traveling incessantly for weeks, both of you have been skipping meals and neglecting sleep in order to speed up your search. Finally, you’ve about reached your limit.

“Obito… wait…” You managed to say weakly as you rested both your hands on your knees with your body bent slightly forward, desperate to catch your breath.

“I know what you’re gonna say, but we can’t stop now… We have to keep looking!” Obito said as he used his arm to keep himself up against the trunk of a tree to catch his breath.

It hurt you to see Obito like this. He was worried over his friend, but he was so, _so_ tired. You couldn’t stand seeing him this way anymore.

“Obito, _stop,”_ Your words had enough force in them to direct Obito’s attention toward you.

“What good would we be to Rin if we showed up in this condition?”

Obito stopped his heavy breathing and switched to breathing quietly through his nose to consider what you just said.

“It’s okay to rest, just for a moment. Please, Obito?”

Obito was about to object, but then he looked over at you. The two of you have been moving almost nonstop for weeks. He’s been pushing you to your absolute limit, Obito realized. Your face was scratched up, your clothes were tattered, but the thing that struck Obito the most was your eyes. You looked so exhausted. Obito felt horrible for dragging you along and pushing you too far. With a long inhale through his nose, Obito finally gave in and let the two of you rest.

 

~~~

 

“It feels like it’s been so long since we got to do this,” you commented softly as you and Obito laid in your sleeping bags and gazed up at the stars. Your bags were so close together that your elbows touched when your arms crossed behind your heads.

Obito laid in silence, thinking to himself.

_It really has been a while, huh…?_

That thought bugged him. It had been too long for his liking.

Something else was gnawing at him, too. He’d wanted to speak up for a while but strangely found himself unable to. After a few more moments had passed, Obito finally swallowed his pride and spoke.

“I’m sorry,” Obito mumbled as he slouched deeper into his sleeping bag.

“I…beg your pardon?”

You couldn’t believe it. Obito is _apologizing?_ For all the years that you’ve known Obito, one of the things you understood about him the most was that he _rarely_ apologized. You noted the only other time he’s ever said sorry to you was when he was shouting it frantically as he tried putting out the flames on your dress caused by one of his fireballs while sparring with you that one time. You just assumed that ‘sorry’ just wasn’t in his vocabulary.

But this apology was different. It was soft, genuine, and was full of remorse.

“I – I said that I’m sorry… for pushing us so hard…” Obito elaborated, his eyelids were low in both guilt and exhaustion.

“We need to find Rin, but I haven’t been paying attention to what’s been going on with you. I know you’re trying your best. I just…”

Obito began tightly squeezing a bunched up portion of the inside of his sleeping bag. You didn’t need to see it to know that’s what he was doing – you heard it.

You couldn’t help but smile adoringly at Obito’s display of vulnerability. It’s a side of him that he doesn’t show to people often, not even to Rin. Speaking of which, you’ve been trying to discern the state of Obito’s feelings for Rin for a while now. When the three of you were younger, Obito always had a blush on his face when he was around her. There was a light in him – but now, there was nothing like that around her. The light diminished. You fought to understand why. It couldn’t be that he liked somebody else; the only girls he’s around are you and Rin. You thought that you made your feelings for him clear during that assassination mission but he never openly reciprocated so you chose to let things be. You were just thankful that Obito is still your best friend and the three of you were able to escape that prison unscathed.

 _Well almost anyway,_ you winced at the thought as you grasped your previously broken hand.

You shouldn’t be thinking about this now, though. You should be tending to your friend during his moment of weakness.

“Hey, I get it. You’re just looking out for our friend. If I were to get kidnapped, I –“

“D-don’t say things like that!” Obito snapped.

Obito’s outburst caught you by surprise.

“Wh-what do you mean? Things like what?”

Obito stared at you with a look of distress on his face before it relaxed into a softer, more embarrassed one.

“I… didn’t mean to snap at you. Just hearing you talk about yourself like that… it… it scares me.” He says while averting his eyes to the ground by your face.

_Obito? Scared?_

Obito was holding back when he said the thought of losing you scared him. He was beyond terrified of it. Obito swore that he’d never let anything happen to you. Just thinking about you getting captured and losing you was too much for Obito to bear.

“Hey,” you say as Obito shifted his eyes back up to meet yours again.

“Relax. I’m here. And we’re going to find her, I’ll bet ramen on it, my treat,” You say with a smile and a wink in hopes of lightening the mood.

Obito chuckled and finally cracked a smile. It was the first smile you had seen for weeks. It was breathtaking, as always.

“Yeah? Well I hope you’ve been saving up from your missions, ‘cause after what we’ve been through I’m gonna clean that place _out!”_

You understood exactly how Obito felt. The two of you have been living off measly rations for the last couple weeks.

_You would kill for a bowl of ramen right about now._

_Speaking of which…_

“Obito, could you do just one thing for me?”

“Yeah, and what would that be, exactly?”

“Could we consider stopping to rest just a bit more often from now on? I don’t like how we’ve been skipping meals. I need you to eat more for me and keep up your strength.”

You knew Obito was strong, but you needed him to stay strong.

Obito’s eyes lit up in surprise. It hadn’t occurred to him just how often he’s disregarded rations and ignored his hunger. Deep down, he was touched that you cared about him so much to concern yourself with things like that.

“I really can’t argue with that. I really thought we stopped to rest more than we actually have.”

“Yeah, maybe now you’ll actually stop and take the time to wash those goggles so you can see these things better, hm?” You say in a snarky but entirely playful tone.

“Hey, don’t mock the goggles, you know that they’ll be carved into the Hokage Rock somed-“

Obito’s rant was interrupted by a growl, one that was so disturbingly loud, and it came straight from Obito’s stomach. His face flushed in embarrassment as he grasped at his stomach, desperate to stop the sound to no avail.

You giggled knowingly as you silently grabbed something from inside your sleeping bag before handing it to Obito.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a bento box from part of my rations. Take it.”

“Where’d you even get that? Our food’s in our bag way over there.”

“I was going to sneak it while you were asleep, but looks like you’ve foiled my plans.” You playfully feigned defeat.

Normally Obito would object to taking your rations. You need to stay strong, too, after all. But stopping to rest finally gave Obito’s body the time it needed to process that his system was empty and he needed something _now._ He accepted with tears in his eyes from your sacrifice.

After a while, it was time for the moment you’ve been waiting for: it was time to sleep. The both of you bid sweet dreams before snuggling into your respective sleeping bags, which were still dangerously close together.

 

~~~

 

There had been something else plaguing your mind for quite some time now, even before the two of you left to find Rin. Whenever you two had stopped to rest, as infrequent as that was, something Obito said to you really started to eat at you.

“…Obito, are you still awake?”

“Hmm,” Obito mumbled under his sleeping bag, his eyes still closed.

“Obito… do you really think that I’m _worse than scum_?”

You were referring to that instance inside the village gates where Obito thought it was necessary to give you his ‘those who abandon their friends are worse than scum’ talk, and the implications behind it cut you deeper than it probably should have. It was made ten times worse coming from the one you love.

“Huh? Of course you’re not, (y/n).” Obito stated as he opened his eyes to look at you.

Now it was time for your moment of weakness.

“Well, the first day we left to go find Rin, you thought that I was abandoning the both of you and you told me that people like that are worse than scum. I – I just don’t want you to think of me that way…”

Obito thought back to that day when he first heard the news of Rin’s disappearance. His emotions were getting the best of him; he just wanted to look for his friend as soon as possible. For years, he's had to put up with Kakashi and his strict rule-abiding, no exceptions attitude and it finally got the best of Obito as he directed it to the wrong person. He hadn’t even realized how what he said could have affected (y/n). _To imply that she was scum,_ Obito cringed at the idea.

“No, (y/n). You’re the total opposite of scum. I… I shouldn’t have said that to you. I know you would never abandon a comrade, and I… I’m thankful for that… For you…”

Obito was exhausted, not just physically, but mentally as well. It’s absolutely draining for someone like him to express himself so intimately to another person, especially to the one he’s fond of most. Relieved from his answer and hearing the weary tone in his voice, you smiled and said one final thing before letting sleep finally overtake you.

“ _I’m thankful for you too, Obito.”_


	12. Reminiscing

“Do you see anything, (y/n)?” Obito yelled up to you, his voice barely reaching your ears as you surveyed the area from the top of a tree while Obito scouted the ground.

“If I saw anything, I would have said something, Obito,” you tried to yell back to him, knowing that your much softer voice would never reach him.

You began to make your way down the tree while Obito continued to search near the trunk for any signs of Rin or Zetsu. Though he would never admit to you that he did so also to make sure you didn’t fall and get hurt. Once you got close to the ground, you hopped off the tree and landed with a thud and a faint ‘oof’ which attracted Obito to your location. You also hadn’t noticed something falling out of your bag as it made only the faintest noise as it collided with the soft ground.

“Let’s keep heading northeast; I hear there’s some area up there that has a lot of animal bones in it. Villains love graveyards and stuff like that, so I’d bet all my Yen that they’re sneaking around up there, somewhere.” You stated calmly.

You and Obito have been searching to find Rin for a month now, and you’ve chastised yourself countless times because you’ve watched the show and yet couldn’t remember where Madara’s hideout was located.

“It’s getting late, though. We should take a break here for a while. I’ll go grab us some water.”

As you walked off, Obito started following you before something twinkling on the ground caught his eyes.

“Huh…? Is that…?” He questioned as he bent over to pick it up.

As Obito moved the object from its spot, it made a familiar ringing noise, one that made you stop in your tracks and lightly gasp. Obito held the object closely to his face as he pieced together where he last saw it.  It was a small plush of your favorite animal. It was in your favorite color with a navy blue bow wrapped around its neck. Dangling from it was a tiny bell that was so worn that it only made noise when roughly shaken.

“Hey, I remember this!” Obito excitedly exclaimed as he held the item slightly above his head in front of him and rattled it as the bell began to faintly ring.

“Be careful with it, Obito! The bell’s really loose, it might fall off,” you say as you struggled to grab it out of his outstretched hand, his build towering over yours.

“I haven’t seen this guy in years,” Obito declared nostalgically as he gently inspected it before finally handing it back to you. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with it, not since the day I got it for you. Have you been carrying it around with you?”

Obito’s question sounded like he was mocking you, but he was genuinely curious as to why you had such an item on a mission like this.  You internally panicked. You were embarrassed that Obito finally found out that you carry the stuffed animal he got for you wherever you go. You couldn’t lie, you took it with you on missions because the sound it made always soothed you. You loved to take it with you on especially long missions when you were away for the village for some time; it acted as a memento to remind you what you’d be coming home to. It also made you feel like you were taking a piece of Obito with you wherever you went. 

“I – I don’t think that’s any of your business,” You finally managed to blurt out to the Uchiha.

_Weak excuse._

“It totally _is_ my business since _I_ was the one who got it for you,” Obito said with a cocky grin.

You two had a silent staring contest for dominance in the conversation for a while before you finally gave in and slumped against the tree behind you.

“Alright, alright. You win.” Those words never failed in bringing a smile to Obito’s face.

“I started carrying it around with me on my birthday, the day you gave it to me,” you began to explain as Obito quietly sat against the tree next to you.

“I remember that I had a mission that day, so we only had some time in the morning to hang out before I left the village…”

Memories of that day began flooding back as you lightly stroked the coarse fur with your thumb…

~~~

_“This is bullcrap! Why do I have to go on a mission on my birthday?!” You screamed to yourself as you barged through your door to begin packing aggressively for your weeklong mission._

_You were angrily stomping down the stairs after you finished when a knock on your door caused you to slow your steps back to a gentle patter. You opened your door and were surprised to see your best friend beaming down at you, as if he knew something you didn’t. Still, you were pleased that you got to see him before you had to leave._

_“Hey, you!” You greeted Obito affectionately._

_“Hey, there you are! You aren’t usually home, usually you’re anywhere but your apartment!” Obito said awkwardly. The smile glued to his face was just as awkward._

_“Does that mean that you’ve been looking for me for a while?”_

_Obito’s face froze. Sweat began to form on his temples while his eyebrows were knitted in a way where it looked like he was caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing, with a wide, strained smile to accompany it._

_“Nope, not that long, I just was passing by and thought that we could hang out today,” he claimed with sweat still pouring off him._

_Your eyes narrowed suspiciously. Obito was trying to play it cool. That automatically means he was up to something._

_“Alright, what’s the catch?”_

_Obito flinched. “C-catch? Can a guy not hang out with his best friend once in a while or something?” Obito said, pretending to be offended._

_It was then you realized that you had impolitely left Obito standing at your doorway for a while so you finally invited him inside._

_“So did you have any plans in mind?” You asked as the two of you sat at your kitchen table._

_Obito wasn’t fully listening. He was fiddling with something under the table and his eyes were averted to your floor._

_“Alright, come on, Obito. I’ll bite. What’s eating at you?”_

_“N-nothing, (y/n)! I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Obito insisted._

_Uh, no. You weren’t going to play that game. You’ve been around him long enough and had seen the show enough times to know what Obito’s denial looked like, and this was it._

_You recognized the signs; now the tricky part is how to gently coax him to admit to whatever was bothering him…_

_…Or you could go with the direct approach. That sounds easier._

_Without another word, you stood up and made your way to where Obito was sitting. He lifted his eyes up to meet yours and got increasingly flustered as you got closer. That’s when you bent down to his level, cupped his chin with your fingers, and forced him to look into your eyes._

_“Obito. If you are able to say that nothing is wrong without looking away from me, then I will leave you be. If you can’t, you have to tell me what’s the matter right now.”_

_Naturally, Obito lost._

_~~~_

_“H-here,” he said quietly as he slid a small, decorated box across the table in your direction._

_“This… is this…?”_

_“Y-yeah… happy birthday, (y/n).” Obito said bashfully. He was physically unable to lift his eyes from the floor._

_You were touched. Obito went through all this trouble and struggled so hard to express his feelings in order to celebrate your birthday with you. This truly was unexpected. Obito was never good with being on time. Another thing he struggled with was remembering special occasions. Obito had forgotten your previous birthdays; he’s even had trouble remembering his own half the time. The only way he’d often remember his own was when you would treat him somewhere or presented him with a gift of his own. Obito realized that you never forgot his birthday. He also remembered how utterly disheartened you were when he didn’t remember yours. He vowed never to see you that hurt again. He made sure to try extra hard to find something you’d like, to make up for the mistakes he’s made to you in the past._

_Opening the box revealed that small stuffed version of your favorite animal in your favorite color, its bell sounding loud and crisp as you curled your hands around it to pick it up._

_You started with a hearty gasp. “Obito, I love it! What did I do to deserve you? You’re the best!” You couldn’t contain the excitement in your voice; your words caused a fever-like blush to cross Obito’s face as he squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment from your praise. Along with affection, that’s another thing Obito lacked a great deal of in his childhood, and that was compliments and praise. It was so rare; Obito never learned how to properly react to receiving it._

_“Y-yeah, I saw it… and I thought that you’d think it was cute. You like that type of stuff,” Obito noted. Obito was also inclined to get it since he’d also thought it was adorable – just like you._

_As you held his gift up in the air in front of you, you happened to glance at your clock that was in the same direction and noticed that you were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago. With another sharp, albeit fearful gasp, you began rushing to leave, but not before apologizing profusely to the Uchiha for having to cut your time with him short. You waved goodbye to your friend as you ran off to the gates while Obito was unaware that you snuck his gift with you, and would soon make it a habit of doing so._

_~~~_

“Heh, yeah. You were in such a rush that day. Glad it wasn’t me who was late for a change,” Obito said tiredly, the both of you subconsciously got more and more comfortable against the tree as you continued to reminisce.

The story soon died down as both you and Obito’s eyelids began to fall.

You were the first to fall asleep. You instinctively leaned close to the source of heat that was radiating next to you – which happened to be Obito. The next thing he knew, your body was leaning against his as your head rested against his chest and shoulder, causing Obito to blush and stiffen up considerably in surprise.

Obito’s nerves prevented him from moving, but then he realized that he actually didn’t _want_ to move.

Slowly, silently, Obito lowered his head down so his cheek rested off the top of your head as he heard you unconsciously hum in response. Obito should be blushing harder at the contact, but something about being so close to _you_ stirred unique feelings inside him. Comfortable. Secure. Natural. Feeling the warmth and closeness of you helped Obito give in to the temptation of sleep, and he soon joined you.


	13. Hide and Seek

The two of you trekked along the unknown land to continue your search for the hideout. It had been months since the start of your journey, and you found that your spirits and confidence in finding Rin safely were dwindling. Obito never lost hope, of course. His faith in his friends was truly admirable. However, the time it was taking to find her was indeed affecting Obito, even if he wasn’t fully aware of it. The steps the two of you took began to slow in pace, they became less urgent, less hopeful as time went on. It wasn’t that there was less desire to find Rin, but chances of locating her diminished once you realized just how much ground you two had already explored, and how much left you had yet to cover. Still, the both of you refused to give up.

Your mind began to wander to Madara and Zetsu. Once you find Madara, the next concern is how the two of you will defeat him. You recall from the show that Madara was prolonging his life with the Demonic Statue, the effigy that absorbed and held the Tailed Beasts that the Akatsuki captured in the original show. You also remember that Madara only let himself pass away once his legacy was planted into Obito. At this point it wasn’t Madara who scared you, rather, it was Zetsu. Zetsu’s strength was not in combat, but that didn’t stop the fact that he still _eats_ people. That notion alone is enough to speed up your heartrate.

_What if Zetsu surprises us while we are distracted, and he takes a chunk out of Obito, or even engulfs him whole to take him to Madara?_

_No. No, you can’t let that happen, (y/n)._

_But what if it does?_

_Don’t think about it like that. Your nerves will get the best of you, and then we really will be in trouble._

_…._

_You’re not strong enough._

_Stop thinking of yourself that way. You need to try._

_…_

_You’re going to get them killed._

_Enough._

_Obito and Rin will die because of you!_

_STOP –!_

 

“(y/n)?” Obito’s concerned voice snapped you out of your thoughts. Your heartrate was erratic and your breathing unknowingly got heavy which attracted Obito’s attention.

You whipped your head to his direction as your eyes attempted to absorb every feature of Obito’s worried expression as if it was the last time you would see his face.

“Huh? S-sorry. I was just… trying to think of ways to defeat the enemy once we find them.”

Obito pondered for a moment.

“I’m just planning on finding Rin and taking out anyone in my way. I don’t care who they are, they won’t beat us!” Obito stated in an entirely determined tone.

You chuckled at his ignorance at just whom you two were going up against.

“Heh, I’ll hold ‘em and you punch, huh?” You said as the two of you shared an understanding look; yours was a bit more strained and morbid. Obito then flashed you his charming signature smile.

“Yeah, you get the idea, (y/n)!”

While looking over to your best friend, something in the distant background behind his head made you gasp and stop in your tracks. Obito’s steps quickly halted soon after yours.

“What’d you find?” Obito’s voice was unusually low and calculated. A feeling in his gut lead him to somehow know that you found something important.

What you saw was a bone. It was large and jutted 40 feet in the air. That’s when you noticed the numerous other bones within close proximity of the first. One large set of bones were positioned in a way where you could tell that it was a set of ribs. Images began to quickly flash through your mind.

_Those bones._

_That mountain._

_This place._

…

_This is it._

You suddenly recalled what the hideout resembled from the original show. You couldn’t help but also tug your memories to that fateful scene where Obito broke out of this place and left to help his friends, entirely unaware of the pure, unadulterated agony he would soon find himself in for the rest of his life. You cringed before getting your thoughts back on track and turned back to Obito.

“It’s here. We found it.”

“Where, (y/n)?! We need to rescue Rin now!”

You stared gravely at the mountain in the distance before turning your attention back to your friend.

“I know, Obito! But we need to come up with a plan first. Let me tell you just who we’ll be up aga- h-hey! Stop! We can’t go yet!” Obito grabbed onto your wrist and rushed you closer to the mountain while you begged him to relent even for just a second – a request that went unheard.

~~~

Reaching the entrance made you paranoid.

_Wait, this isn’t right._

_The entrance should have a huge boulder blocking the way._

_Why it is suddenly gaping?_

_What happened to the rock?_

_Is this not the hideout?_

_Did I make a mistake?_

A million questions raced through your head as Obito recklessly charged into the darkness yelling for Rin. A sudden barrier of dirt made its way in front of him before he could get too far.

“Wha-? (y/n), what gives?! Rin could be in danger, what’s your problem?!” Obito angrily bellowed at you, the utter desperation evident in his voice.

Obito’s words and demeanor hurt you, and normally you were one to apologize for upsetting him, but this time was different. Everyone’s lives were on the line. You couldn’t sit back and be compliant anymore.

“Obito, you’re a 17 year old shinobi, old enough to qualify as a Jonin. With that in mind, won’t you _please,_ **think things through before you get yourself killed!”**

Your voice echoed through the cave, you were clearly louder than you had meant to be. Obito looked at you with shock for a moment, before it became anger, then finally shifting to regret as his eyes traveled to the floor.

“Please,” you begged Obito with a softer, gentler tone. “I can’t let you keep doing this. For all the years I’ve known you, I’ve let you make some pretty brash decisions, ones that could have easily ended your life. But I can’t do this anymore, Obito! I _need_ you to take better care of yourself! I’ll always be there to support you but I would never forgive myself if I couldn’t keep you safe. Please. No matter what happens, I…”

You bite your lip in apprehension.

 “I can’t lose you.”

You undo the barrier.

Obito stood there in silence, his gaze never leaving you. His eyebrows were furrowed with comprehension of what you just said, his mouth was slightly parted. Obito understood exactly where you were coming from. For years Obito believed that as a shinobi he had nothing to be scared of, but after almost witnessing your death in The Land of Grass he realized that he had one true fear: He couldn’t lose you, either.

Without another word, Obito lowered his head in understanding and nodded.

You walked over to your best friend and grasped his hand to which he gripped yours back just as tightly.

“Let’s go get Rin, but first I need to tell you about the people who took her. There’s this… thing called Zetsu. It’s _so_ important that you don’t take your eyes off him for a second; he can materialize into anything and any second he gets, he will eat y-“

“I think it’s time for me to join in on the chatter, don’t you think?” A strange, alien, yet familiar voice appeared from the ceiling.

The being was humanoid, but was devoid of any natural human colors. His hair was a sickly green while his oozing skin was pure white. The lower half of his body was merged into the ceiling as his repulsive yellow eyes observed the two of you.

_White Zetsu._

“My girl, how did you ever figure out my name? I made sure not to leave tracks behind while observing you all these years. Have I gotten careless?”

_Zetsu’s been watching us, for years?_

“ _Where’s Rin?!”_ Obito’s thunderous tone dominated over Zetsu’s.

“Now hold on, we’ll get to that. But first I have to decide what I’m going to do with the extra baggage you brought along with you.” Zetsu said to Obito condescendingly in a tone as if he were being forced to take out the trash.

_Is he referring to me?_

Obito’s teeth clenched as he lifted his arm up in front of you in a protective gesture.

“You aren’t getting anywhere near her!”

Zetsu lifted an eyebrow. “Um, I don’t really remember asking for your permission, but I must say you two make the cutest power couple. It sure took you long enough to find this place though, huh? I was starting to think you would never show up to see your friend, Obito.”

Before Obito could blow a fuse, you spoke up. “Where is she? Why did you take her?”

“I don’t believe that is any of your business. You weren’t supposed to be here, after all.”

Disregarding his comment, you continued. “Where’s your other half, Zetsu? The black part of you is missing!”

“Hm?” Is all Zetsu could come up with as he began to internally panic.

_She shouldn’t know about that. Not even Madara himself knows about Black Zetsu’s existence yet. Just who is this girl?_

Zetsu began looking a bit nervous as he attempted to figure out whether or not (y/n) knew of Project Tsuki No Me, _The Eye of the Moon Plan,_ and its “real” goal.

“And while you’re at it, where’s Madara? If he’s still on life support then this should be easy,” you feigned confidence in an attempt to psyche Zetsu out. It probably didn’t work.

“You don’t have to concern yourself with something like that. I’m afraid that _I’m_ your opponent,” Zetsu says as his body began to divide into a clone of himself.

You and Obito got into a battle stance as the two White Zetsus dropped to the ground in front of you with an audible “plop” before reshaping into their humanoid forms.

You and Obito exchanged glances and nods with a determined look on your faces as you prepared for battle.

Obito was the first to make a move. He lifted the goggles from his eyes to activate his Sharingan as he charged ahead for both Zestus. While running he dug into his pack and took out six shuriken – three in each hand, before directing his chakra to his feet to jump high into the air. While in midair, Obito discarded the shuriken slightly above him for a moment while he formed hand signs before inhaling deeply. The next thing you knew, the air above you became entirely engulfed in a fierce blaze; Obito could no longer be seen. Suddenly the six shuriken pierced through the massive inferno, each of them encased in a thick coat of flames as they rocketed toward both Zetsus. You quickly formed your own hand signs and caused the ground below Zetsu to soften enough to where their feet began to sink in. You then hardened the ground again around their ankles so they were stuck in place and unable to avoid the blazing shuriken incoming from multiple directions. Upon making contact, each shuriken violently combusted, setting the Zetsus aflame in multiple areas as the weapons twisted into their body. There were a few moments where a repulsive noise akin to searing flesh was heard, but no screams accompanied it. Obito landed next to you as you both observed the enemy. The Zetsus just stood there with the shuriken still embedded into them, their flames beginning to die out. Nothing changed, except both Zetsu’s now looked murderous. They weren’t playing around anymore.

“How… how did that not do anything?” You questioned out loud as Obito stared back at the Zetsus, his fierce expression matching theirs.

_Can… can Zetsu… heal himself?_ You struggled to remember his abilities from the show. _Ugh, it’s been so long… I can’t remember!_

Just then, one of the Zetsus grossly detached himself from his own feet to escape your trap and immediately grew new ones as he began charging forward at a surprising speed. You had just enough time to soften the ground again so Zetsu fell on his front as he continued to vehemently and inhumanly crawl toward you. Obito ran a few feet in front of you, his kunai ready in both hands as he prepared to defend you from the monstrous _thing_ trying to attack you. The Zetsu then shifted his focus onto Obito where his body opened up wide, giving him a venus flytrap like appearance. You gasped in terror as your best friend was about to be eaten alive before your very eyes. That’s when you shakily formed hand signs to perform a new jutsu you haven’t been able to practice yet. Suddenly, the elements of the earth around you formed into two giant hands, one that fiercely grabbed the Zetsu in midair and forcefully pounded him into the ground, while the other stayed close to Obito just in case anything else threatened him.

“Don’t you _dare_ touch my Obito!” Your voice was shaky but full of determination to protect him.

Obito stood there in shock; he’d just been attacked by some… _thing_ that had opened its body up to engulf him, but you intervened just in time. You and Obito were too distracted with this Zetsu to notice the other one broke free and merged with the ground to appear directly behind you. Obito immediately whirled around to your direction as he sensed the presence with his Sharingan.

“(Y/N)! BEHIND YOU!” Obito screamed and ran toward you as you turned only to be met with the other White Zetsu. He then latched on to half of your body, making it impossible to form hand signs with only one free hand. You quickly lost control of the elemental hands as they crumbled back into the earth. You never tried that jutsu in battle before; your inexperience with it caused the technique to be unstable and unpredictable.

“GET OFF OF HER!” Obito demanded as he began slashing at the Zetsu attached to you, desperate to get you free.

You began screaming in fear as your thoughts raced to how Zetsu can devour people, but soon found it increasingly draining to do so.

_What… what’s his feeling…? My chakra…it’s…leaving me? Oh no. I forgot… one of Zetsu’s abilities is draining chakra! Oh my god! Obito!_

“Obito! Zetsu – he’s draining… chakra… I can’t… I’m getting… Obito…” You began to get dizzy as the chakra was swiftly sapped from your body. You fell to your knees as Obito looked on in horror, still trying desperately to get you free.

“(y/n), (y/n), come on! Fight this, you have to fight this, (y/n)! Put a barrier over yourself – do _something!_ (y/n)! (Y/N)!” Obito pleaded desperately as your eyelids became heavier – even keeping them open has exhausting.

Not long after, the parasitic Zetsu dissolved into the ground, taking you with him.

“We’ll talk later,” he said to Obito as he quickly left.

Obito was astonished. He clawed desperately at the ground where you once were in a futile attempt to catch Zetsu before he repeatedly pounded his fists into the ground in anguish. His fists angrily dug into that spot for a while as his body began to tremble. Not long after, his firsts became warm and wet as tears began flooding from Obito’s sorrowful, red eyes. They dripped off his nose and chin while his eyes were pinched shut; his teeth clenched like a vice.

“How… how could she let herself get captured like this… how could I let her…?! No. She was captured because she was saving me. I couldn’t protect her. I didn’t even get the chance to…”

Obito hiccupped as he broke down even harder.

“Now she’s taken… because of _me_. (y/n)… Rin… They’re both gone…!”

During his sobs, the Zetsu clone calmly made his way over to Obito and stood over his hunched form.

“Now with them out of the way maybe we can finally have a talk,” The Zetsu said nonchalantly to the sobbing Uchiha before him.

At Zetsu’s words Obito’s trembling fists clenched tightly, scraping dirt into his curled palms, his head still low in defeat. Suddenly, Obito snapped his head up at Zetsu, his stunningly red Sharingan staring right through Zetsu’s soul.

“Wh-whoa, easy kid. It was for y-your own good, you kn-“

“ _Get away from me_!” Obito shouted as he suddenly leaped up to recklessly and aggressively swing at Zetsu with his fists. Obito couldn’t think straight – his mind only told him to attack the _thing_ that took them. He didn’t bother pulling out a weapon; there was no room for thinking things through. Zetsu dodged the first few throws as he stepped back from each swing.

“We just want to talk to you, ki-“

“Shut UP!” Obito interrupted him as he continued to swing.

Zetsu abruptly stopped dodging and allowed Obito’s fist to make contact with his abdomen. His fist sank deep into the oozing substance of Zetsu’s stomach, which hardened over, locking Obito’s arm in place.

“You need to relax please! Those two are still here for now, but that might change quickly if you don’t settle down and do as we say.”

Obito’s breathing was loud and heavy, but hearing that (y/n) and Rin were still there in the hideout gave him enough restraint to force himself to calm down. Obito was never a listener or a follower. It was so hard for him to comply with such a despicable creature, but since it was to protect his friends, he begrudgingly obeyed as Zetsu lead him deeper into the hideout.

~~~

You had just enough strength to stay conscious while the Zetsu clone released his hold on you as you landed into a dark and moist chamber.

“I’m… alive…?” You managed say, not meaning to mutter it out loud.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to kill you off just yet,” Zetsu began with his disgustingly casual tone. “That Obito seems rather attached to you so you might still be of use to us, just in case he gets any ideas on believing in hope again any time soon.”

You didn’t bother asking Zetsu what he meant; you already knew their plans for Obito Uchiha – the one to bring forth death and destruction onto the shinobi world.

“Maybe I should have grabbed you instead of that other girl, maybe then he would have shown up faster!” Zetsu said as he amused himself.

_The other girl… he means… Rin!_

“Wh-where is… Rin…?” You managed to barely whisper your words as you attempted to lift yourself up by your wobbling arms.

Either Zetsu did not hear your whisper or he was done humoring you because he dissolved into the wall and left seemingly in a hurry.

“(y…y/n)…?” You heard an impossibly weak feminine noise that sounded like your name. You managed to turn around and see a girl who vaguely resembled Rin curled up in a corner. She looked severely weak, to put it nicely. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were half lidded as she gazed up at you.

You couldn’t believe it. After months of endless searching, you finally found Rin. But things were not looking good for her. It was not looking good for _anybody._


	14. The Savior of This World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I included some of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite characters, so if anything seems familiar, that's why.

“Is that you, Rin? A-are you okay?” You tried hard to keep your voice from sounding too startled; you didn’t want her to know just how awful her condition looked.

Rin only smiled. “You… came? For me…?”

You nodded weakly but confidently, your chakra levels were severely low from being drained by Zetsu. “Obito and I have been looking for you for months, Rin.”

Rin’s eyes widened for a moment at Obito’s name as she struggled to lift herself up.

“(y/n)… I don’t think… I can stand…”

“No worries… I’ll help you,” You slowly stood up, made your way into the corner of the dark room, and held out your arm in front of Rin as she shakily reached for you. As she lifted herself up, your strength suddenly gave out, causing the two of you to tumble to the ground next to each other.

“I – I’m sorry Rin. My chakra is so low… I don’t have the strength anymore,” Your voice was soft and full of guilt.

The room then went eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the labored breaths the both of you took as you struggled to recuperate your strength and chakra levels.

“We might be here for just a little while longer, Rin. It’s not so bad, though. I’m… actually really happy to see you again.” You say as you lifted your head from the ground to look over at Rin.

Rin slowly shifted her half-lidded eyes to you as she seemed to stare through you, her face expressionless.

“But I thought… you didn’t… like me. That time… at your house,” She managed to say weakly.

Rin was referring to that night where you downright rejected her friendship after you, her, and Obito had a seemingly wonderful night together. That was years ago and outside of insincere greetings or the occasional mission you made sure to ignore her as much as possible. There were times after that where the three of you got together, but you pretended as if nothing was wrong while Obito was present. With him gone, you were back to shunning her. Rin was always too nice to tell Obito what was going on; she didn’t want to cause trouble so she simply endured it.

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk about, Rin…” You say sheepishly as your heart began to speed up at what you were about to say to her.

“Since we might be here a while, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to share something with you.”

You took a deep, labored breath.

“Rin, for these past few months, we’ve been looking all over for you, and there was never a day that passed where I didn’t regret how I treated you. To tell you the absolute truth Rin, I treated you so terribly because I was… well… jealous of you.”

Rin eyes, which were directed at the wall behind you, slowly lowered down to yours as you continued to explain everything to her.

“For years I resented how perfect you were. You were everything I wished I was, but that’s not the biggest reason why I treated you so poorly. The truth is…”

You swallowed dryly in apprehension.

“I’m in love with Obito, but Obito loves you and I hated you for it. I hated you for something that was out of your control.”

In the back of your mind, you were scolding yourself for telling Rin that Obito loves her.

_What are you doing, (y/n)? What if Rin finally realizes that she loves Obito too? You essentially just matched them up! I told you not to fall for him. It was going to break your heart yet you fell in love with Obito anyway._

_…._

_No. That doesn’t matter anymore. I will always love Obito but if he’s happy with her then… I need to accept that. I never deserved Obito anyway. Not after the way I’ve treated Rin._

“If I were even more honest, Rin, I actually was so envious of you that I thought that… I wouldn’t be upset if you… went missing. If I had only one last thing to say to you, I’d say that I was wrong. I was absolutely wrong for how I felt about you and how I treated you all these years. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Rin only stared at you in silence when a small, faint smile appeared on her lips. “Thank you… (y/n)… I for..give..you…

Your heart immediately swelled with Rin’s gentle words.

_She forgives you._

You smiled back at her before it faded as you remembered the grim situation you all were in.

_This is all my fault… I tried so hard to prevent Rin from getting captured and Obito from falling into despair, yet it happened anyway._

_What can I do, Obito…?_

_What do I do, Minato…?_

_I’m so lost, Obito… Minato…_

Suddenly, words from the Fourth Hokage flashed through your mind -

_“ - the bond you two share will keep him from falling under Madara’s influences.”_

_“And (y/n),”_

_…._

_“Don’t ever regret what you did.”_

Your eyes promptly widened in realization of what Minato had meant that day.

_I can still save Obito. It’s not too late. I **need** to see him._

You chanted these thoughts to yourself as you struggled to lift yourself up by your trembling arms, determined to find Obito and Madara before he could brainwash him.

Before you could try to stand up, a sickly white gelatinous form emerged from the wall next to you and Rin and grabbed both of your arms before seeping the two of you into the wall.

~~~

“See, they’re both still here, just like I told you,” Zetsu said with annoyance in his voice as the two girls collided with the ground a few meters away from Obito. “Maybe now you’ll consider the plans we have laid out for you.”

“(y/n)! Rin!” Obito exclaimed with hope and relief before his tone switched to pure anger from realizing how weak and debilitated you two had become because of Zetsu. “If you think that I’ll listen to _anything_ somebody like you has to say then forget it! Let them go _right now!”_

You softly groaned from the impact just as you sensed a new, sinister presence examining you.

“…How pitiful, Uchiha. Undoubtedly you have discerned the love you carry for these two is only a source for pain and anguish, _and nothing more_ ,” a frail but deep voice emanated from behind you as you took a quick gasp – one that was full of fear.

_That voice…! It’s…_

 You lifted yourself on your hands to look at the menacing form towering over you.

It was him.

_Madara Uchiha._

Just like in the show, Madara was old; his once signature black and navy blue hair of the Uchiha clan was now a ghostly white. The skin around his face sagged; his body connected to the Demonic Statue by grotesque cords but he held limited movement around the hideout by using a makeshift cane. The only feature that stayed the same for Madara was his eyes.

 _Those eyes. They’re the same eyes that’s massacred hundreds if not thousands of ninja and civilians during his youth_.

The paleness of his skin and hair only enhanced the frighteningly crimson, petrifying tool of war that is Madara Uchiha’s Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.

You froze in absolute panic as the one who stood off against the god of shinobi stared down at your weak figure.

Madara may be over a hundred years old due to artificially prolonging his life, but the Uchiha still emanated authority purely by his presence and was the embodiment of dominance and power as he spoke.

_But he was so weak and almost complacent at this age in the original show. So why does he now give off such an angry, commanding aura?_

Madara’s attention was momentarily directed to Zetsu’s white mass forming in the wall next to him.

“This is the one who’s interfered with our plan in the past, Lord Madara,” Zetsu said in a tattling tone.

At that, Madara’s eyes shifted back to you, but this time with a more threatening contempt in his eye.

“You are not supposed to be here, woman. In both past and present, you have candidly directed my plans down an unintended - and _undesired_ path. I recognize this Uchiha as the ultimate embodiment of hatred and despair – the sort that will carry on my legacy for this putrid savagery of a world. It had all been planned that day; then you chose to intervene.”

There was a foreboding stillness in the air before Madara spoke once more.

“Woman.”

….

“Interfering with my project for peace…”

Madara raised his head, demanding authority as he forcibly subdued you with his stare.

….

“ _You cannot begin to fathom the mistake you just made.”_

 

 _This… this isn’t right!_ You heard your mind tell you over the million other thoughts running through your head as an inexorable pounding consumed your chest. _Madara shouldn’t be like this! He should be conniving, calculating! He should be planning things behind the scenes and keeping his motives hidden like he did in the show! He’s acting completely different now. He’s trying to convince Obito himself, but why? What happened to him? Is this really because of me? What do I do now?!_

Madara’s plan was simple. The day that Obito was supposed to ‘die’ was the day that Madara’s plan was to be set in motion. He was to plant the seeds of hatred and doubt for this war-ridden world onto Obito and continue with _The Eye of the Moon Plan_ to bring his version of “peace” to this world. But Madara hadn’t anticipated that you would accompany the mission that day. You prevented Madara from meeting Obito, which delayed his plan for a ‘peaceful’ world even further. It was because of you that Madara had to resort to kidnapping Rin to lure Obito directly to his hideout. Now you unexpectedly accompanied Obito on this mission, too. It looks like you are interfering with his plan again, and Madara was **not** happy about it.

You broke your gaze from the Uchiha and put your head back down as you pushed yourself up by your arms, trying hard to stand up. Obito saw you struggling and immediately began to walk forward to help you, until Madara sent a kick to your side that sent you flying through the air before skidding off the ground.

“ _You’ve obstructed me for the last time, girl_.”

Obito lost it. He immediately charged for Madara but in his haste to get closer, he hadn’t noticed that he stepped in a white substance planted on the ground – _Zetsu._

Upon contact, Zetsu began sapping Obito of his chakra as he harshly fell to the ground a couple meters away from you.

“It’s unexpected that I am resorting to this, Uchiha, but I will show you that reality is the manifestation of torment, mistreatment, and emptiness. Once I do, you will comprehend that in this reality only pain, suffering, and futility exist! Only then will you understand and follow my legacy!”

Obito watched as Madara crept closer to the both of you as you laid helplessly on the ground. Anger boiled up inside of Obito again at the thought of Madara laying another hand on you. He found just enough strength to get to his feet and step in front of Madara just before he could reach you. Madara paused only for a moment before he swiped Obito off his feet, causing him to hit the ground with a harsh ‘thud’ before striking Obito hard with his foot.

“O-Obito!” is all you could muster as you watched one of your worst nightmares unfold before you.

Obito was caught off guard by Madara’s sudden moves. Madara may be frail, but he could still deal vital damage. Your eyes widened with horror at the noise Obito made as Madara’s foot made contact with his gut. The impact was so forceful that Obito’s goggles came loose and launched a few feet away from him. Obito couldn’t move. The agony caused by Madara’s harsh kick made it unbearable for Obito to stand again; he was defenseless. Another forceful kick sent blood flying out of Obito’s mouth. Watching his blood splatter on the ground made you finally lose it. Your adrenaline kicked into overdrive as you gracelessly scrambled to your feet and clumsily dashed over to Obito just as Madara was about to land another blow onto Obito’s face. Your body instinctively dove on top of Obito’s to shield him from Madara’s devastating assault. Obito had his eyes squeezed shut in preparation of taking the hit only to hesitantly open them when no pain followed the impact. It took Obito a moment to register that the weight of your entire body was over his. Your torso pressed so close and so tightly to his that he could feel your heartbeat pounding on his chest. Your right hand grasped Obito’s left shoulder in a vice-like grip while your left hand cupped the top of his head with your fingers curled into his dark hair; the same arm desperately tried to cover the right half of his face, which was Madara’s target. Your legs were wrapped around his from the outside as your head hovered over his with a nauseatingly pained expression on your face. You defended Obito from Madara’s blow as his foot made contact full force with your upper arm and shoulder instead. The pain that shot through you was indescribable. Madara looked slightly confused at your protective gesture for a moment before he spoke again.

“You choose to shelter this boy from the harshness of reality? Then you will also learn that in order to protect something... _another must be sacrificed_.”

Madara continued battering your body relentlessly.

Rin could only look on helplessly as she watched you slowly lose consciousness while you continued to cover Obito urgently. Madara hit your ribs, your gut, hip, waist - there wasn’t a single area that didn’t feel Madara’s pent-up wrath.

“Do you see now?! This world harbors nothing but pain and sorrow! Love only brings forth suffering and agony!”

Obito was paralyzed, not just from the pain of Madara’s assault, but from looking up at (y/n) and realizing just how much his best friend would sacrifice to keep him safe. Blood began seeping out the corners of your mouth as your teeth clenched from the pain; the leaking blood dripped onto Obito’s face below as his wide, red, shocked eyes never left your own. You used any strength you had left to look at your best friend, his face becoming blurry as your eyes began to lose light while Madara’s violent kicks persisted.

“Obi-“

*KICK*

“-to”

*KICK*

“…take Rin”

*KICK*

“…get somewhere safe”

*KICK*

“…don’t lose hope”

*KICK*

“…please, Obito…”

*KICK*

“Don’t give in.”

You managed to plead to Obito to take whatever strength he had left to flee from Madara. The fate of the shinobi world depended on Obito’s choice to try and escape without you and move on or stay with you until the very end and risk giving in to despair.

For Obito, there was no choice. He wouldn’t leave you even if it meant the world would end because of it. For years, he promised to never allow anything to harm you ever again. He decided this too late, however, as your body finally gave out and slumped entirely on his.

Eventually Madara’s kicks subsided as he made a harsh groaning sound from the sheer effort and energy it took to deliver such blows in rapid succession. Even though he was so old, Madara still held on to that short temper he often displayed in his youth. He had grown impatient. Madara had been waiting _too long_ for his plan to fail now. His original goal was to manipulate Obito secretly and psychologically by using Rin, but his anger inhibited his better judgement to where Madara resorted to persuading Obito, personally, that this world is doomed. His new plan was to demonstrate this by dealing physical trauma to Obito and aim especially for his head with the expectation of inhibiting his ability to think rationally, increasing the likelihood that he will comply with Madara’s order.

Unbeknownst to him, the vengeance that saturated his entire being told that it was the older Uchiha who had been acting irrationally all along.

After seeing you sacrificing yourself to obstruct him once again, Madara then resolved to taking you out and force Obito to watch. After you and Rin are dead, this would act as the motivation for Obito to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan so he could see you two again, even if it means begrudgingly helping and resurrecting Madara to do so.

Either way, Obito will snap and finally fathom that this shinobi world is **_hell._**

A lengthy silence struck the room for the first time since the team arrived. Obito was still on his back, trembling, with his best friend still collapsed on top of him after shielding him from Madara. Your blood was splattered all over Obito; devastation was written over every fiber of his being. He finally forced his eyes away from your body as his quivering head moved to the direction of Rin. She was laying on her stomach a few feet away, her eyes still half-lidded, her mouth slightly open, and the bags under her eyes were prominent. She appeared to be looking straight through Obito. Neither one of his friends were truly there anymore.

“Now you understand,” Madara commanded with impatience evident in his voice. "The concept of hope is nothing more than giving up. A word that holds no true meaning. Love only breeds hatred and unmitigated disdain for reality. Love is not necessary; power is the only true necessity. The Uchiha is a clan destined for revenge. Take revenge on the world that mutilated your futile belief of hope and love. Carry on my will and finally bring peace to this world – _Obito Uchiha!_


	15. Darkness

_“The Uchiha is a clan destined for revenge. Take revenge on the world that mutilated your futile belief of hope_ and _love. Carry on my will and finally bring peace to this world – Obito Uchiha!”_

Madara’s words resonated through the air as Obito battled with the inner turmoil set off by the older Uchiha standing upright before him. Both of his friends are gone. The only people to ever accept Obito as a shinobi and as a person, the only ones to ever bless him with the exquisite gift of warmth and affection, are no longer with him. Obito’s hands lifted to grip the shoulders of his best friend lying on top of him, her blood seeping into his clothes and staining his skin; his trembling hands almost matched the uncontrollable quivering of his short breaths. The tears streaming from his eyes burned him, as they never have before. They singed his eyes with an unfamiliar pain; sparks of intense heat rippled across his Sharingan as Obito struggled to recover from the shock of what Madara had done. Obito couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t understand why you would sacrifice everything for _him._ As if on instinct, Obito slowly lifted you up by your shoulders and examined your face, which was now pale and expressionless.

“(y-y-y/n)…” Obito’s anguish over seeing your face was indescribable.

Just one look was enough for those searing sparks in his eyes to erupt into one powerful wave of radiating heat. As Madara looked on, he watched the black tomoe in Obito’s Sharingan morph together to form a shape akin to shuriken. Obito then shut his eyes harshly and groaned from the overwhelming sensations transpiring in his eyes.

“The Mangekyou Sharingan…” Madara stated calmly. “The exceptionally rare and superior visual capabilities you now possess will be the foundation, the key to our new world. Use this power to initiate The Eye of the Moon Plan, and I will see that your desire will come to fruition once I am revived. You will be reunited with your cherished ones in your own reality forged by my Infinite Tsukuyomi.”

Wracked with grief and seduced by Madara’s promise, ominous sounds began forming in Obito’s head; it was telling him to do something – _commanding_ him to do something.

_This, this… this **urge.**_

It was telling him to _kill._ It was demanding him to wreak havoc on this hell of a world, to abandon this reality and seek a perfect one. It was telling Obito to give in – to forsake this world and torture it as it has tortured him - and to _kill_ anything that steps in his way.

Zetsu had been carefully observing the entire exchange from afar; a demented smile permeated his features at seeing his plan finally initiate. His smile soon faded as he sensed a cluster of chakra within close proximity of the hideout – ones that were quickly approaching. From the feel of it, the chakra belonged to Hidden Leaf Ninja, likely sent as reinforcements on the search for Rin. Zetsu turned to Madara with a nervous expression on his face as he gathered the courage to interject on him and Obito.

“Um, Lord Madara – “

_“Dispose of them.”_

Not daring to respond, Zetsu then phased out of sight.

Obito delicately shifted your body off his as he slowly and silently stood up, the gentle way he treated your body directly contradicted the emotions teeming inside of him. Obito was seething. His rage building up inside threatened to unleash at any moment. He tightened his grip with such intensity that his nails drew blood from his palm; the malevolent voice persisted in urging him to despair.

…

But something else was calling to him. It was soft and gentle. A voice that sounded familiar. It was… soothing.

_“Obito”_

_“Don’t lose hope”_

_“Please, Obito…”_

_“Don’t give in.”_

_That voice…_

It was (y/n)’s voice running through Obito’s head, disrupting the malicious impulse that was commanding him to surrender.

Madara was right about the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha have an extensive history of pain and revenge, but Madara had forgotten that Uchihas were also a clan that flourished on love. Uchihas experience emotions that is unusually and indescribably intense, but that also means that they experience love just as intensely, and Obito is no exception. Love to an Uchiha is so powerful that it can influence their life to where it can be the foundation of hatred and despair – but love can also be the guidance they need to achieve great things. Before (y/n) arrived in this world, it was destined that Obito would lose hope for the shinobi world after the death of his love, Rin, but now, it was (y/n) who was also the source of his anguish. Because of this, the feelings inside Obito are different from when it was solely Rin. Your last words to him were to never give up and to never lose hope for this world. You saw something in this world that Obito was starting to lose sight of, but your wish to him and the calming aura of your tranquil voice was overriding his hostile urges and allowed him to see clearly.  

“Now,” Madara began to speak, satisfied with the success and progression of his plan. “You understand what you must do. Collect the Nine Tailed Beasts to absor-“

_“No.”_

Madara’s instructions were cut off and he was caught off guard by that single unorthodox word.

“The Eye of the Moon Plan _.”_ Obito stated firmly. _“_ (y/n) and Rin would never want this _._ ”

It wasn’t the world that was torturing Obito. It was Madara.

Obito realized this. He lifted his gaze from the ground to meet with Madara’s; their Mangekyou Sharingan making contact as the two Uchiha stood off silently in a stare for dominance. Obito’s tears never stopped. As he leered at the man responsible for his pain, your view on this world and the words you once told Obito long ago never left his thoughts.

 

* * *

 

_“So who’s your favorite Hokage, Obito?”_

_“Wouldn’t say I have a favorite. That geezer Lord Third did let you stay in the village though, so I guess I’d go with him.”_

_You chuckled and hummed contently at his answer._

_“Who’s your favorite shinobi?”_

_“Favorite shinobi? Hmm...” You pondered the question for a moment._

_“…I really admire Minato-sensei; he always seems like he knows just what to do.”_

_Obito’s face scrunched up slightly in irritation at your answer as he thought about just how amazingly talented his sensei really is. It made Obito feel inferior in every way._

_“With that said, I wouldn’t call him my favorite.” You continued as the 14-year-old Obito directed his attention from the night sky back to you with curiosity in his eyes._

_“I’d have to say that my favorite ninja would be… well… you, Obito.”_

_Obito blushed and jumped slightly in surprise. “Huh, m-me? What makes you say that?”_

_(y/n) giggled softly as a light blush also dusted her cheeks. “You have something that no other ninja here does, Obito. You feel such compassion for your comrades. That’s something I think this place forgot about when they wrote those stupid shinobi rules.”_

_Obito stared at you in awe as you continued to explain while looking up at the stars._

_“From the time I’ve lived in this village I have never found anyone as passionate or determined as you. Most importantly, you never give up. No matter what, you keep trying and I can’t help but admire you for that. You’re everything this village needs. That’s why I think you have what it takes to become a great Hokage someday.”_

_Obito was speechless as he took in everything you said. He had told you about his dream of becoming Hokage one night, but he never exactly told you why. It was originally so he would gain the recognition he’s always craved, but he soon found that he didn’t need to become the best to be accepted, and he learned that because of you. You were giving him a completely new reason to become the village’s protector._

_“Maybe when you become Hokage, you can convince the Feudal Lords to rewrite the shinobi rules and make one that puts our comrades above all else.”_

_“Yeah… I think that’s what I’ll do.” Obito voiced soothingly while looking at you with a gentle expression on his face before he finally broke his gaze away from you and joined your exploration of the stars._

_“To be honest Obito, when I first became a ninja, I was so scared of the kind of stuff we’d see on missions. But then I remembered that we’re doing this so that others can live peacefully here. Even though life for us is frightening, I still think this world is beautiful. It’s worth fighting for, and I’ll never give up on it, no matter what happens.” (y/n) said peacefully as they watched a star trail through the navy blue sky._

_“I have you to thank for that, Obito. I’ll never give up, just like you.”_

_Obito blushed at your sweet praise as he pondered your words and softly chanted to himself,_

_This world is beautiful…_

_Never give up on it…_

_…no matter what happens._

 

* * *

 

“You still harbor faith in this accursed pit of a world, Uchiha? Even after I revealed to you the unmerciful realities of shinobi, you _still_ manifest hope and oppose your fate?!” Madara was furious. This was not supposed to happen; his plan was rupturing before his very eyes. Madara broke his gaze he had on the younger Uchiha to eye your body with utter revulsion.

“That woman. She opposed the ultimate form of peace! She indoctrinated you to continue fighting for the liberty to wage war! Do you not wish to end the suffering of mankind and meet her again in another world?!”

Obito’s teeth visibly clenched as more tears spilled from his eyes, his piercing glare never leaving Madara’s. His eyebrows knitted in pure resentment for Madara’s accusations. Obito would have done _anything_ to see you two again, but he knew that you loved the world you lived in. He couldn’t stand the thought of you and Rin watching him in revulsion as he carried out Madara’s legacy for peace by eradicating the world you held dear. He could never do that to you.

Just then, a feeble cough abruptly left your throat and you whined as more blood seeped out of your mouth, shocking the two Uchihas. Between Madara’s irrational anger and Obito’s overwhelming shock, neither one had the chance to check your pulse, which was now weak and faint.

“(y-y/n)?!” Obito mustered between short, staggering breaths.

_She… she’s still breathing…!_ _(y/n)… she’s…!_ Obito stood there, frozen in place. He didn’t know how to react; he couldn’t believe that you were still with him, but he didn’t have much time to let it sink in.

“The peace resister still breathes?!” Madara bellowed in rage. He couldn’t restrain his anger for you. Everything was falling apart because of **you.** He began walking toward you in earnest with the intention of finishing you off for good, but not before Obito stepped in front of the legendary Uchiha with no hesitation. Their impasse was far unlike what their original meeting was supposed to be like years ago. This time, Obito was almost 18 years old; his figure stood tall against Madara’s, his face was silently challenging him to dare take even one step closer to you.

Suddenly, a revolting noise reached Obito’s ears as he heard Zetsu materialize next to your body. Obito turned swiftly and his eyes widened as he watched Zetsu’s body open up to devour you.

**_No! I won’t lose her again!_ **

Obito screamed desperately as he felt something in his eyes begin to swirl. He watched as Zetsu got caught in the ominous vortex swirling around him. His outstretched arm evaded the swirl, only for it to sever from his body and strike the ground with an audible squelch. Before anyone could mutter a word, Zetsu was gone, transported to the Kamui dimension created from Obito’s Mangekyou Sharingan. Immediately after, Obito’s eyes began to bleed as a unique pain shot through them due to the use of his new powers. Comprehending the unique and powerful capabilities of Obito’s new Sharingan, Madara slowly began to back away while he was distracted, but he didn’t get far.

“Don’t move from that spot.” Obito said dryly as he turned to face Madara and began stomping toward him, the blood from his eyes still oozing down his face.

“This is because of _you._ The ninja world is hell because of shinobi like **_you_**!” Obito accused Madara, who had begun to step backwards as Obito continued to step forward. Madara had spent too much energy kicking you to near death. He knew he stood little chance against the younger Uchiha, especially when he was _this_ irate, and especially now that he controls such a devastating ocular ability.

_“Well I won’t let you hurt my friends or anyone else ever again! **I swear it!** ” _

Obito hurled his fist toward Madara’s face, but it forcefully made contact with his hand in a parry instead. Both Uchiha’s arms were trembling from the effort of resisting each other’s action; Madara was repelling Obito’s attack while trying to hold a deadpan expression on his face, but his eyebrows gave away that Madara was thoroughly alarmed. Obito never eased his attempt to strike Madara as he continued to press his fist forward, determined to take him down, all the while their Sharingan never broke contact with each other. While Obito was occupied with Madara, Rin, who was only barely conscious, saw the opportunity to delicately crawl toward your body. She immediately and quietly produced a special green chakra that absorbed into your body once her hand made contact with your arm…

~~~

Darkness. It’s that familiar darkness again _. Am I… finally returning to my world? Have I accomplished everything I was supposed to in this world? No. No matter how hard I tried, the outcome of Obito and the shinobi world remained the same. I couldn’t protect them… Then why…? Why was I sent here? What was my purpose? Am I really done here?_

As your questions continued to flow, a growing light began to take up your vision; this light was just as familiar as the darkness you’ve encountered numerous times before.

_No, I’m not done here. Not even close._

You awoke with the jolt as your eyes got accustomed to the murky area around you. The first two things that caught your attention were your wounds, which were partially mended, and your chakra levels; you had enough to fight again!

  _But… how?_

You then turned your head to see Rin lying next to you just as the light in her hand faded away. “Rin! What… what happened? What did you do?”

A weak smile graced her lips as Rin replied, barely in a whisper. “Chakra… Transfer… been… saving chakra…”

Over the years, Rin had become talented in her healing abilities. You never knew just how skilled her medical jutsu would become since she would have been killed years ago if it weren’t for what you’ve done in this world.

“Rin…” Tears began forming in your eyes at Rin’s sacrifice. Even after all the years of mistreatment and neglect, she still valued your wellbeing over hers.

“Take it… h-help… Obito…” Rin pleaded softly, the young Uchiha’s screaming only now registering to your ears.

You gasped sharply as the memories of everything that’s happened flooded back to you. You instantly stood up on your feet, ignoring the immeasurable pain your body was in from Madara’s previous attacks. You stood up just in time to witness Madara successfully ward off Obito’s attack as they stumbled back, both Uchihas displaying clear signs of exhaustion and severe fatigue. This didn’t stop Obito from immediately returning to Madara with a battle cry and a throw that was just as impactful as the last.

You didn’t know what to do. You remember how Madara can just activate his Rinnegan to absorb any jutsu that’s thrown at him, and if you made any sort of eye contact with that man then you would be physically and emotionally traumatized for life – and who knows what kind of power the Demonic Statue is granting him –

_Wait a minute…_

You knew that the source of Madara’s life is the statue directly behind him and Obito.

That’s when it hit you.

_Sometimes the best offense is a good defense._

Without any more hesitation, you assembled all the chakra given to you by Rin to perform the ultimate protective jutsu. You decided to call it –

“Earth Style: Elemental Peacekeeper!”

At that, you slammed your hands on the ground, which attracted the attention of both Uchihas. You made sure to keep your line of sight as far away from Madara’s as possible; just one glance into his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and you would be done for.

Suddenly, the ground around Madara and Obito began to quake violently. The earth surrounding the enormous Demonic Statue began to twist before it started to sink into the ground. At the same time, two colossal elemental hands erupted from the ground, grabbed each side of the statue, and began to push it further into the earth. Infuriated, Madara turned in your direction and began forming hand signs at a rapid pace – ones that you recognized were for a fire-style jutsu. You couldn’t defend yourself; sinking the incredibly massive statue was taking all of your energy. That’s when you urgently looked to your partner for support.

Obito immediately understood. He briefly exchanged looks with you before he darted in front of Madara just as a ferocious flame exited his mouth that was aiming for you. Obito directed his Mangekyou Sharingan on Madara’s flames and in an instant, his Kamui swirl absorbed the inferno and transported it elsewhere. As Obito delayed Madara, the statue continued to descend by your hands.

Obito’s Sharingan vanquished Madara’s entire attack.

“ _That power_ ,” Madara whispered in acknowledgment of Obito’s abilities.

Not a moment later, a twinging, snapping noise caught Madara’s attention, the area connecting Madara’s cords with the statue scraped against the stony surface as it continued to plummet into the earth. Madara’s eyes widened as the cords fractured with an audible snapping noise and completely disconnected from the statue. Madara’s balance was lost from the shock of losing his connection with the statue – the only source that was prolonging his life. Your hands glued to the ground as you vehemently continued to bury the statue far into the earth.

_You would send this statue straight to Hell if you could._

You shouted out from the pain and effort as your borrowed chakra flowed around the statue – until finally only the head remained. With your chakra depleted, the giant hands aiding you crumbled into the earth as you fell to your knees, gasping for air.

_I wasn’t able… to bury the whole statue. It’s gonna come back… it needs to be sealed away… but it’s enough to stop Madara’s plan for now…_

Madara could only watch as his hundred-year-old plan came to a bitter conclusion. As he laid on his side, his fading vision never left your form. Despondency conquered over his ashen voice.

“This world… you have doomed this world, woman,” Madara chanted as his breaths got shallower. “You do not realize what you have done.”

You slouched on your hands and knees, too feeble to lift your heavy gaze off the ground directly below you. Other than your desperate panting, Madara was the only sound your clouded mind could register. You had no choice but to engage with his venomous proclamations.

“You will never understand what it means to achieve… true… peace,” Madara whispered until his breaths no longer passed through him.

….

Silence.

….

It was the most peaceful silence you had felt in the longest time.

You eventually found the strength to look up, and what you saw was the most beautiful image you had ever seen. It was Obito. He was safe. He was the same Obito who you’ve known for almost a decade. He had the same spirit in him – that fiery passion, the one who you told to never give up. You can tell all of this just by looking at him, and by looking into his eyes. Obito always had the most revealing eyes, but there was a new expression in his eyes that you’ve never seen before. It appeared to be a mix of rapture and elation, but his eyebrows expressed shock and unyielding incomprehension.  All of those conflicting emotions on his face, it looked… painful. As the two of you locked eyes, Obito’s feet automatically lifted and he slowly advanced toward you, the disbelief still heavy in his crimson eyes. Once he was near, Obito clumsily dropped down on his knees and gently cupped your cheek with one hand; his darting eyes frantically studied your face as if this was just some kind of cruel genjutsu fooling him into thinking that you were still alive.

As Obito continued to scan your face in disbelief, a smile finally formed on his open lips; and he began to laugh. It started as a couple giggles, but quickly formed into a turbulent laughter as waves of overwhelming gratitude washed over Obito once he came to terms that you weren’t taken - that you were still there with him in this world. Tears followed his reaction soon after, and his laugh soon morphed into a sob as his tears mixed with the blood running down his cheeks. Obito sobbed out all of his frustrations: His grief. His anger. His guilt. Fears and anxiety. Any remnants of that malevolent voice urging him to despair.  All of the pent-up emotions over what he had to go through spilled out as he cupped your face with both hands and leaned his head forward to gently press his forehead to yours in an intimate embrace. Obito continued to weep, the powerful look of sheer relief never leaving his face.

Obito held your face and touched your forehead with his for the longest time, and you returned his feelings with matching joy. After he’d finally released his hold on you, you immediately sprang forward to wrap your arms around his trembling form. Obito returned the hug instantly and placed one hand on the back of your head, determined to never let you go again.

“I’m here. You did it, Obito! You never gave up on this world. I’m so proud of you!” You finished by tightening your hold on him with a glorious squeeze of reassurance.

Minato’s prediction was right. The powerful bond between you and Obito stopped him from falling into despair by Madara’s hand.

You couldn’t believe it was all over. Madara Uchiha is now dead. His _Eye of the Moon_ plan never came to fruition. You, Rin, and Obito prevented the most catastrophic disaster in shinobi history.

_Wait a minute… Rin!_

You and Obito gasped and promptly broke the hug as you both quickly exchanged feared looks before you hastily made your way over to Rin’s motionless body; her positioning was the same as when you left her to help Obito.

“R-Rin… N-no… I… I…” Obito tried to speak, his words coming out in stuttering fragments, his tears began to flow again.

“D-don’t give up on her, Obito! We… we…” You didn’t know what to say. You hate lying to Obito, but Rin did **not** look good. While the three of you were growing up, you always thought that Rin ‘disappearing’ would have been a dream come true, but now that it happened, you quickly realize that your past self should have been careful of what she wished for. While trying to think of ways to calm Obito back down, a glob of mysterious white substance on the ground caught your eye.

_That’s… that’s…!_

“We need to get back to the Leaf _right now!_ ”


	16. Redemption

You’ve been sitting in that chair all day. It’d been so long that you couldn’t feel your legs anymore; every part of you had become numb, both physically and mentally. Your mind went blank from the overwhelming sensations of everything you went through these last few months, and everything you are going through now. There was the shock of returning to civilization after surviving with Obito in unfamiliar territory for so long. You still had the responsibility to report to the Fourth Hokage about _everything_ that happened on your journey. Your own injuries were extensive; you weren’t supposed to be out of your room but you _had_ to go and wait on Rin’s condition. You felt immense guilt about what Rin had done to save your life. During the past few months of her captivity, Rin had been secretly storing small amounts of chakra for if things got critical for her. Once she saw the condition you were in after Madara’s relentless assault, she chose to spend all of her accumulated chakra to revive you, despite how you treated her over the years. Even though she did forgive you, your guilt was still unbearable. All of these thoughts piled up until you just couldn’t handle it anymore as you bent forward in your seat and placed your bandaged hands over your bruised face from the overwhelming mental pressure. The only noise in the room was the faint electronic “bzzzz” sound from the outside emergency room light being on, the one that signified an operation was currently in progress. Obito was stirring up noise as well, as his frantically paced footsteps and blatant disregard for his own injuries told of his thumping anxiety over Rin and her chances for survival. His distraught back-and-forth pace pulled you out of your haze as your concern shifted to Obito’s own wellbeing.

“She… she’s going to be okay, Obito. You don’t need to-“

“You don’t know that, (y/n)!” Obito impulsively snapped, his anxieties finally getting the best of him. “Y-you saw the faces those nurses made when we brought Rin in. We… we don’t know if…” You watched Obito’s fist clench, him being physically unable to finish vocalizing his thoughts.

Obito may be dense at times, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew of the serious peril Rin was in. He felt the immense weight of the situation. He recognized the grave circumstances of his friend. Forced optimism won’t help now, but that didn’t stop you from at least trying.

You slowly stood up, allowing the feeling to return to your legs before facing your best friend.

“You have to remember Obito; they specifically requested _the_ Tsunade Senju, one of the legendary Sannin to look over Rin. She’s regarded as the greatest medical ninja out there! We need to have faith in her, and we need to have faith in Rin, too.”

At this, Obito’s rough pace eased to a halt as he peered down at you, his worrisome face lessening to a more reasonable one.

“Y-yeah… you’re right. Rin’s gotta be okay. I believe in her.” Obito stated as he glared at the closed door before turning his attention back to you.

“You… you always know just what to say, (y/n)…” Obito tried complimenting you sheepishly as he directed his head to the side with his line of sight to the floor.

You didn’t have time to respond. The operating room light abruptly switched off, catching your attention as the doors slowly opened a moment after. You and Obito froze when Tsunade emerged from behind the doors as she delicately walked through the waiting room and passed between the two of you to reach the doors on the opposite side. Obito regained his composure as he hastily followed Tsunade in a desperate pursuit for answers.

“R-Rin! I-is she okay? Tell me she’s okay!” Obito demanded answers, though it came out as pitiful begs more than forceful inquiry.

Tsunade stopped and quietly turned around to face the two of you, the blank expression on her face was impossible to read. After a moment passed, Tsunade closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose.

….

“She’ll be fine. The Hashirama cells we extracted from the sample you brought back were just enough to stabilize her chakra levels,” Tsunade explained neutrally. The more she spoke the larger Obito’s smile became.

“She needs extensive rest and rehabilitation, but she should make a full recovery –“

Tsunade barely had enough time to finish her words as the thunderous clap from Obito clasping his hands together surprised her.

“I… you… th-thank… thank you!” Obito stuttered out in elation as he almost humorously got to his knees in front of Tsunade, his hands still clutched together in gratitude.

_Obito, you are such an amazing dork,_ you mused to yourself as you watched his antics. If you were honest, you were grateful toward Tsunade as well. You just had an easier time controlling yourself compared to him, which you attributed to the fact that Obito loves Rin. Saying this to yourself sent a sharp pain to your heart as you remembered Obito’s feelings for her.

Looking down at the relieved Uchiha, Tsunade couldn’t help but let a faint smile form on her lips. “Just be sure to control that excitement when you see her. We don’t want to risk her chakra levels being disturbed.”

“Y-you mean we can see her right now?”

With her eyes closed, Tsunade nodded as she turned back around and left the waiting room without another word.

Distracted by your aching heart, you didn’t notice Obito had hastily gotten up until he started dragging you with him to Rin’s room. His excitement knew no bounds.

 

* * *

 

Once the two of you found her room number, you had to hush Obito from being too loud as you quietly opened the door to peer inside. There she was, heavily weak, but alive. She was awake enough to register that someone came to visit her. Before you could fully open the door, Obito ran into the room, unable to contain his excitement any longer.

“Rin, you’re okay! I never doubted you for a second!” Obito exclaimed between laughter. You decided to quietly keep your distance and let the two embrace before you would make your presence known, all the while ignoring the throbbing ache in your chest from seeing them so happy together.

Rin suddenly put her arms over Obito in a grateful hug that caught both you and Obito by surprise as she affectionately snuggled her face into his neck. You didn’t miss the blush on Rin’s face, either.

_Rin… she’s never hugged Obito before… especially not like that. I did reveal Obito’s feelings for her… maybe she’s finally realized that she loves him too…?_

You then let out a sharp gasp when Obito enthusiastically returned the hug a moment later and excitedly swayed her side to side.

That dull ache in your heart bloomed into an agonizing shatter as you watched the one you love happily embrace his crush.

_Stop it, (y/n). He has every right to embrace her. You said yourself back at the hideout that you would accept if they got together, as long as you brought them home safe. You should be happy for them. This is the future they deserve… They are here because of you… They deserve… to be… happy… together…_

The sound of teardrops making contact with the floor pulled you out of your thoughts as you realize that you had begun to cry at what was happening in front of you.

While in mid hug, Rin opened her eyes and noticed you standing there, as you hastily tried to erase any evidence of your crying from just a moment before. Rin was happy to see you, but she was also concerned.

“(y/n)! Are you okay?” Rin asked softly as she and Obito released their hug to look at you.

You jumped slightly in surprise that all eyes were on you as you continued to wipe your tears in vain.

 “Y-yeah, Rin. I’m just… so glad that you’re alright…” You partially lied. You were happy that she came through, but the source of your tears came from the prickling sadness emanating from your chest.

The two then went back to eagerly embracing each other, the pain of your heartbreak became too much for you to bear.

“O-oh, Obito! I forgot that we need to… um… report to The Fourth Hokage about everything that happened! I’ll go do that for us. You can stay here with Rin.” You said as you hurriedly left before Obito could respond as more tears left your eyes.

 

* * *

 

You found yourself taking the long way to the Hokage’s office as you trudged through the empty pathway, the atmosphere around you was a stunningly orange hue from the setting evening sun. You wanted this walk to take the longest amount of time possible, anything to keep you from seeing Obito and Rin happy together again. With your head low, you almost didn’t notice someone walking in your direction, their figure casting a huge shadow over the walkway. As they got closer, you recognized the grey, spiky hair as Kakashi’s. You hadn’t seen him since the assassination mission with him and Obito, the one where you learned of Kakashi’s true feelings for you. For years he’s treated you like you were below him, but on that mission you learned that there was more to him behind that mask.

Your steps subconsciously eased as Kakashi got closer, until finally the two of you started to pass by each other. It was then everything felt like slow motion; you turned your head to the side in Kakashi’s direction as he continued looking straight, clearly trying to ignore your presence. After that split second of passing him, you stopped in your tracks and spun around as he continued to walk forward, his back now facing you. Before you could stop yourself, you spoke up.

“Your teammate, Rin –“ You began, your sudden announcement persuaded Kakashi to stop. This was unlike you. You never really initiated conversations with Kakashi since his cold personality intimidated you.

“She made it. She’s alive.”

“Great,” Kakashi’s tone riddled with apathy, his back still facing you.

“Did you even notice that she was gone? Obito and I had been searching for Rin for months! Do you even plan on visiting her at the hospital?” You confronted Kakashi; the blatant unconcern for his childhood friend and teammate unsettled you.

“I wouldn’t waste my time with those who are weak enough to get captured. You and Obito should have left her behind and stayed in the village to provide for actual missions. If Rin were strong enough, she would have found an escape on her own like I did on our mission.”

You were disgusted, not only with Kakashi’s view toward others, but with yourself as well. You felt terrible that you essentially prevented Obito from giving Kakashi his eye-opening speech when Rin got captured in the original show. Because of you, Kakashi still prioritized the rules, and viewed anyone who got captured as dead weight and not worth saving.

“Why are you treating us this way, Kakashi? You’ve always looked down on me and Rin, but I _know_ that’s not how you really feel. So why? Why treat us like this? Why push us away?” You asked, the tone of your voice growing softer after every inquiry.

No response.

….

“Is it because of your father?”

Kakashi peered over his shoulder and shot you a silent but intensely fierce side-glare.

“You don’t get to speak about him. You knew nothing about my father.” The tone in his voice was bitter and wracked with grief.

“I know enough about him to know that he was a wonderful shinobi.” You said calmly, your words full of empathy.

Kakashi’s eyes promptly grew wide at your words; a buried memory suddenly flashing through his mind.

 

* * *

 

_Heavy footsteps fell onto the snow-stricken walkway with an audible crunch as young Kakashi begrudgingly made his way home from another day at the ninja academy, his vexed face buried deeply into his scarf. On his way there, he sensed an object hurdling toward his direction, and Kakashi effortlessly caught a rock midair before it could reach him. Kakashi turned his head to the origin of the rock to see a group of older boys making their way over to him._

_“You look a little young to be walking out here all by yourself, kid. Shouldn’t your parents be walking you home?” One of the boys teased as they got closer._

_Kakashi only silently stared at the boys. He was about to ignore them and walk away until another one joined in._

_“Hey, I think that’s Kakashi Hatake. You know, the son of that White Fang guy?”_

_“The White Fang? You mean the guy who betrayed the village? Didn’t he kill himself?”_

_As the boys conversed with each other, Kakashi’s eyes were fixated on the ground as his fists began to clench in anger._

_Unknowingly to the group, (y/n) was on her way to a shop after sparring with Obito at the academy until she overheard the conversation happening a short distance away from her._

_“Yeah, he totally did! But it looks like he left some baggage behind,” One of the boys mocked as their attention went back to Kakashi._

_“So why’d he do it, Little Fang? Why did your dad abandon the mission? Was he as weak as you?”_

_Kakashi was about to lose it. He may be young, but he was more than capable of taking these bullies out. He was about to spring on them until a sudden feminine voice caught everyone’s attention._

_“Hey, don’t talk about Sakumo like that!” You interjected the conversation as you stepped in front of Kakashi, forming a barrier between him and the boys with your body. “He abandoned the mission because he chose to save his friends. You guys would do the same for each other if you got captured!”_

_The boys all silently exchanged glances at one another before returning their attention toward you._

_“Yeah, right. Speak for yourself. The shinobi rules state to never abandon a mission. If The White Fang chose to break the rules over something so dumb, then he was weaker than I thought!” One of the boys said in a disgustingly cocky tone._

_You didn’t know what to say. You figured that these boys couldn’t be reasoned with as you continued to silently stare them down._

_“Just leave Kakashi alone. Who picks on those who are smaller than they are, anyway? It sounds like you guys are trying to hide something. Insecure much?”_

_“Insecure? Look, if you think we won’t beat you down just because you’re a girl, you’ve got –“ Before they could mutter another word, you formed hand signs and clasped your hands to the frigid ground as the earth the boys stood on began to shift and soften before hardening up again, effectively trapping their feet in snow and ice._

_“Hey, what the-? You’re a ninja?”_

_“Well, ninja in training. Looks like I’m getting better at my Earth Style,” You flashed a meek smile as the boys began to lose their balance and fall over, their ankles still cemented into the ground._

_While they were distracted, you spun around and smiled proudly at Kakashi, who had watched the whole thing. A tranquil array of snow began to descend gently through the air, the flakes tickling your face as you beamed at Kakashi with hope in your eyes._

_“Sorry about what they said to you. You shouldn’t listen… to… um…?” Your words began to trail off as Kakashi wordlessly passed by you and the boys to continue his trek home, leaving you there surprised, confused, and hurt. The bitter air stung at your cheeks where your tears fell as you left in the opposite direction, missing the warm expression Kakashi was sending you when he turned back to watch you leave._

 

* * *

 

“Why did you defend me that day? I never asked for your help,” Kakashi finally responded as his antagonistic expression returned, his walls put back up. He wouldn’t admit it, but he appreciated what you did that day. His fondness for you stemmed from what you did for him, but he still never understood _why_ you did it.

You immediately knew the day he was referring to, as you thought back on exactly why you decided to defend Kakashi and his father.

“Because I believe what your father did on that mission was the right thing to do.”

Kakashi’s hostile expression morphed into shock at your revelation.

“The shinobi rules say to never abandon a mission, but the people who decided on the shinobi rules forgot the reason why we’re shinobi in the first place. I believe that the point of being a ninja is to protect those who are dear to us. Your father believed this, too, Kakashi. That’s why he chose to save his beloved comrades instead of carrying out his duties. Nothing was more important to him than the bond between his friends. That’s why we didn’t leave Rin behind; it’s not what your father would have done.”

You paused for a moment to take a breath. That’s when you remembered the words Obito once told you.

“In the shinobi world, those who break the rules and laws are regarded as scum,” You began. “but those who abandon even one of their friends, are worse than scum.” You gave Kakashi a sharp look; your eyes told him that you meant every word you said.

Time seemed to stand still for Kakashi as he reflected on the years of following the shinobi rules to prevent another tragedy like his father’s death from happening again. He never stopped to consider how he regarded his friends and teammates along the way, until now. An unfamiliar aching in his heart consumed him as Kakashi thought about what he had said about Rin.

The air was still for a moment as you turned around to continue your walk to the Hokage’s office.

“Kakashi,” you added as he eyed your back silently.

“What Sakumo did for his teammates was truly admirable. Obito and I both believe that The White Fang was a hero. He knew what it meant to be a true shinobi. That’s why I defended you that day, Kakashi. If I were you, I would be proud to call him my father.”

With nothing more to say to him, you began walking forward again to finally report to the Hokage that your friends made it home safe.

Kakashi stood there frozen in place for what felt like eternity. He became acutely aware of a foreign feeling seeping into his heart, his eyes softening for what felt like the first time. Kakashi absorbed and reflected on every intimate word while a deep reverence flowed through him in profound and powerful waves as he watched you leave, just like he did years ago.

 

* * *

 

“Lord Hokage, (y/n) (l/n) is here to see you,” The assistant informed Minato, which caused him to abruptly stop his writing.

“Please, let her in.”

“L-Lord Hokage, I’m here to report what Obito and I found while on our task to retrieve Rin,” You said nervously. You didn’t know where to begin.

“Before you do, (y/n). Are they safe?” The wellbeing of his past students was Minato’s top priority.

“Yes, Minato-sensei, we brought Rin back to the village. She was in critical condition but I managed to collect a sample of Zetsu’s essence before we booked it back home. It saved her life, Minato-sensei.”

Minato was great at keeping his composure, but you could tell by the breath he let out that he was greatly alleviated by the news. All three of you made it home safe.

“Also, you need to know that Madara Uchiha is now dead.”

Minato’s expression subtly twitched in shock at the news.

“I’m not entirely sure about Zetsu’s whereabouts, but long-story-short he was… uh… transported to another dimension through Obito’s Sharingan. I don’t know if he’ll come back so we can’t write him off just yet.”

Minato nodded silently in confirmation.

“Madara tried to convince Obito to turn against this world just like I predicted, but somehow Obito was able to pull through and stop Madara and his plans. I managed to partially bury the statue that was keeping him alive, but it needs a special seal to truly lock it away so it can’t be used again. I’ll provide details on the statue’s whereabouts in the written report. I hope that’s an okay thing to do.”

“What kind of seal, (y/n)?” Minato was interested in your answer. His lover Kushina was of the Uzumaki clan, a clan well known for their sealing and binding techniques. You thought hard about the type of seal that was used in the show, but you couldn’t for the life of you remember the name.

“I-I’m sorry, Minato-sensei. I don’t remember the seal…” You stated. Your words were full of disappointment in yourself.

Immediately sensing your discouragement, Minato’s eyes softened. “The intel you provided is significant to this village, (y/n). Thank you for your report, and for bringing Rin home.” Minato contently said to you with a warm, proud smile on his face.

You offered Minato a stiff bow before you turned to leave, ignoring the dull ache that shot through your body in doing so.

“I have one more task for you to do tonight.”

_Another task?_

“I want you to head back to the medical center, and get some well-deserved rest. Well done, (y/n).”

You were surprised by Minato’s request. Telling by your numerous bandages and sluggish movements it was easy for him to tell that you were under immense pain.

“Y-yes, sensei,” is all you could say as you gave him another modest bow and made your way back to the hospital.

Minato sat at his desk in silence for a few moments as he pondered his role in the plan to find and stop Madara.

_(y/n) and Obito did it; Obito refused Madara’s influence. He couldn’t have done it without the powerful bond he and (y/n) developed over the years. And yet, that bond can only grow stronger from here._

Minato closed his eyes and exhaled a delighted hum at the thought, the gentle smirk never leaving his face.

_Those two truly are special._

 

* * *

 

Once you finally made it back to the hospital, the sky was an alluring navy blue; the bright moon remained untouched by the stifling darkness of clouds. You decided on a whim to check on Rin one last time before you went to bed, only realizing now how rude it must have been to leave so abruptly, and for such a selfish reason as not wanting to see her and Obito happy together. You chastised yourself for still harboring hints of envy toward Rin, but you were also proud of yourself for overcoming your blind hatred toward her.

As you opened the door to her room, you found Rin sleeping soundly and immediately noticed that Obito was nowhere to be found.

_That’s strange. I would have thought he’d stay with her all night. Maybe he’s getting food for her or something._

That’s when you noticed a lone daffodil flower sitting in a vase on Rin’s nightstand. By the looks of the moisture still dripping off its yellow petals, it had been placed there _very_ recently.

_A flower? It couldn’t have been from Obito. Knowing him, he would have gone all-out and grabbed her a whole bouquet of flowers._

You openly cringed at the thought before disregarding the ache that returned to your chest.

_I wonder who else came by today…_

 

Just outside Rin’s window, Kakashi sat quietly on the edge of the hospital with his arms contently resting on his knees. A soft, pleased smile outlined his mask, and clear signs of comfort and liberation were visible in his eyes. A pleasant, gentle wind blew by, caressing Kakashi’s hair as he looked up into the beautiful night sky. No longer bound by the events of his past, Kakashi finally understood the bliss of being at peace.


	17. A Night Out

The space inside your home was dark and vacant. The only source of light emerged when you swung your door open to allow the luminescence of the moon produce a vague outline on your furniture as you tiredly navigated to your room. You and your team had just returned to the Hidden Leaf Village after a lengthy escort mission to a neighboring land. It wasn’t particularly hard, but you didn’t get back to the village until _way_ after midnight. The sight of your bed almost made you cry as you plopped down onto its soft surface and ardently buried your head into the pillow.

_Finally…_

….

*knock knock knock knock*

Your tired eyes snapped open at the sudden noise coming from your door.

“Someone _better_ be dying,” you stated with not even a hint of amusement in your voice. Judging from the frequency and force of the knocks, it sounded urgent.

Opening your door revealed your best friend as he gleamed down at you with such an exhilarated expression. He didn’t even try to hold back his wide, toothy smile as he greeted you with enthusiasm.

“(y/n)! (y/n), you _have_ to come with me! You _need_ to see this!” Obito tried to keep his voice low since it was so late but the excitement in his tone overshadowed any shred of concern he would ever have of that.

“Obito,” you began as you lazily rubbed your eye. “You know I’m always down to hang out with you, but at four in the morning?”

Your question failed in retracting Obito’s grin as he reached for your hand to pull you outside with him, unable to wait any longer.

“Wha-? H-hey, Obito!” You kept your voice barely above a whisper. “I’m in my PJ’s, I can’t go anywhere in these!” It’s not that you _couldn’t_ leave your house in your pajamas; you’ve done it before, but the nightwear you decided to put on that night was a tad revealing. You had on a tank top with the words, “I’d rather be sleeping,” with matching short-shorts that had sleeping clouds strewn across them. You were clearly outgrowing them as part of your navel was exposed to the chilly night air, but you couldn’t bring yourself to throw it out as it was your backup for when you didn’t feel like washing your clothes. You were beginning to regret not doing it earlier, as Obito’s excited demeanor had finally convinced you to leave with him right then and there.

 

* * *

 

Obito led you to the training grounds as he finally let go of your hand while you two stood in the middle of the sparring field.

“Uh, Obito, if you wanted to spar, you could’ve at least let me grab my weapons… or wait until even birds were awake.” You stated in a tone that was half irritated and half playful.

Obito shook his head roughly, the smile never leaving his face. “Not this time, (y/n)!”

When the two of you would have sleepovers, it wasn’t uncommon that you would pull all-nighters. There were also some nights where you two would train together way past 3am, but Obito never made a special trip to your house to wake you up to go somewhere this late before. Not to mention, you haven’t seen him this darn excited in a long time. What he had to show you must really be good.

“So I’ve been showing up here every night to work on a new Jutsu, and I think I finally got it down!” Obito exclaimed in his usual loud tone, the volume of his voice no longer a concern since you two were alone.

“Boy, you better be able to shoot liquid gold out of your mouth to justify getting me out of bed,” you joked as Obito pretended to be unamused.

“I’ll do you one better, (y/n)! Check this out!” Obito announced as he held your bare arms and eagerly positioned you at a certain spot on the field before letting go to walk a few feet away, his back facing you. You watched as Obito lifted both arms to form hand signs before you heard the signature sound of his Sharingan activating as he inhaled deeply. The air was still for only a moment before a blinding orange light pierced through the darkness of the night. You initially thought that Obito was just showing off a bigger version of his Fireball Technique, but that’s when you realized that these flames were different. You watched as the fire coiled into a tight spiral as it left Obito’s mouth. You noticed that the vortex expanded the farther it traveled away from him. Even the flame he used seemed different; it was stronger, more precise, and deadly. It was stunning. If anyone were to be caught in this whirlwind of flames, there would be no escape; it would be over for them. The atmosphere around the two of you was a radiant orange as his flames persisted.

At that moment, you couldn’t help but admire the signature crest of Obito’s clan that was etched into the back of his clothing. The Uchiha really are a formidable clan. You felt so incredibly lucky to have one as your best friend. You couldn’t imagine having one as an enemy, but then you remembered that the literal leader of the Uchiha clan was out to personally kill you only a few months before. You quickly pushed those thoughts to the side once the ravishing flames of Obito’s new Jutsu began to die down.

When the raging inferno finally subsided, Obito swiftly turned 90 degrees with his side facing you as he reached to lift up his goggles with one hand, with the other landing on his hips. Obito’s posture was straight and his face was full of confidence and pride as he opened one eye to look at you, his satisfied grin never leaving his face. You stared at him in awe as the remnants of his attack left numerous patches of fire scattered across the training field, the glowing flames in the otherwise dark area helped to illuminate and highlight Obito’s features. That’s when you really took in just how handsome Obito had become. You always considered Obito to be an objectively attractive person in terms of traits – as many Uchiha are, but Obito had matured dramatically. His adult physique and facial features reflected his physical and mental growth; every part of him emitted power and was rich with masculinity. Your cheeks flushed profusely at these thoughts until Obito walked closer to you and grasped at your arms in excitement.

“So, watcha think? It was worth coming out here, wasn’t it?” Obito said in a knowing and cocky but endearingly prideful tone.

“That was…”

Obito gleefully stared at you in anticipation for your answer

“It was…”

_Amazing? Powerful? Skillful?_ Obito excitedly thought to himself as he hastily tried to guess what your next words were going to be to him.

“It was beautiful, Obito!”

Obito’s expression fell slightly at your description of his new Jutsu. _Beautiful? My attack is anything but girly!_ Obito initially mused. Though the more he thought about it, the more he started to see what you meant as Obito turned to watch the remaining flames crackle on the training grounds. Fire is inherently breathtaking. The way he changed his chakra form to increase the concentration and intensity of the flames really was a spectacular sight.

“…Yeah.” Obito murmured as he turned back to look at you.

“It really is beautiful.” He voiced softly while looking directly at you with a gentle expression as if he were speaking about more than just his flames.

The two of you exchanged warm looks for a moment as the low flames continued to smolder. Bits of glowing ash descended delicately in the air, giving the atmosphere a sensual glow around you two.

“Have you… thought about any names?”

Obito suddenly got flustered and began blushing heavily, but he wasn’t exactly sure why.

“N-names? Names for what, exactly?”

“For your new jutsu! What are you going to call it?” You asked innocently.

“Oh, right! You know what, I haven’t given any thought about that.” Obito muttered somewhat sheepishly. “But now that I think about it, I want to name it something cool, something that will strike fear in shinobi across all nations just from hearing its name! Sort of like how you named your new jutsu… what was it? ‘Elemental Peacekeeper?’ I want something like that!”

You chuckled at Obito’s excitement over the unique opportunity to label an entirely unheard of jutsu. Not every ninja gets that privilege. You then pondered for a moment.

_I’ve seen Obito use this in the show before, but not until he was well into adulthood. I never realized just how powerful it was until I got to see it up close, either. What a frightening jutsu! What did Obito call it in the show? Ugh, it’s been so long…_

You then thought about the jutsu itself and what made it stand out from other fire techniques.

_Wait, I know!_

“…What about… Bomb… Blast… Dance…?”

Obito blinked at you in silence for a moment. “Bomb Blast Dance? What’s so special about that?”

“Well, uh… just think about how it looks! The flames are concentrated like a bomb, it covers a wide area like a blast… and it’s so mesmerizing… like a dance.” You finished with a particular softness in your voice.

At first, Obito was skeptical about labeling his proclaimed terrifying jutsu with a name that had the word, ‘dance’ in it, but then he thought about it and how the name matches the characteristics of his jutsu remarkably well. Satisfied with your answer, Obito looked back to you with a charming smile.

“Bomb Blast Dance… you know what? I like it! Good one, (y/n)!” Obito praised as he planted his hand on your shoulder. You didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was technically a name that he came up with in the original show, but you blushed at his adoring recognition anyway.

“I don’t know if I can spar with you now that you have such a powerful jutsu, though! How could I even compete with something like that?” You asked in a rhetorical manner, the excitement in your voice almost matching his.

“Hey, don’t doubt yourself, (y/n)! Your specialty is protection, remember? There’s gotta be some way that you could block and counter me.” Obito thought for a moment. “What about those earth hands you summoned to bury Madara’s statue? And during our fight with –“

Obito paused abruptly. Thinking back to what happened at the hideout still frightened Obito, specifically everything that happened with you. He recalled you summoning the elemental hands to protect him from Zetsu, which is ultimately what got you captured. Obito still felt responsible for what happened to you, and it showed in his diminishing expression.

“…How’s your shoulder been, (y/n)…?” Obito asked with guilt heavy in his voice. Your encounter with Madara left your shoulder severely damaged from when you shielded Obito from his attacks. It’s been months since that incident, but pain still shoots through your arm and back when you move the wrong way.

“It still kills. It could be worse, though. At least my arm didn’t fall off, right?” You chuckled lightly; your response only made Obito even more sullen.

You immediately noticed your best friend’s change in demeanor.

“Hey, where’s that obnoxious enthusiasm my Obito’s known for?” You asked playfully and gently bumped his arm with your fist as Obito looked back down to you. That’s when he noticed the scantily clad pajamas you had on; you clearly weren’t expecting to be going anywhere that night. His eyes instinctively shifted down to your exposed navel but he immediately glanced to his side in shame of what he had just done as a feverish blush invaded his cheeks.

“I didn’t mean to drag you out here on the spot,” Obito began as he refused to look up at you, the blush never leaving his face.

“Uh, yes you did! I kept trying to tell you to hold up for a second but you insisted we left right there!”

Obito felt guilty for not being able to control himself in front of you. He was just so proud and excited by his new achievement; his first thought was to show you as soon as possible.

“- but I’m glad we did. That really was amazing, Obito.”

Your soft words snapped Obito out of his cumbersome thoughts. “Really?”

You nodded your head eagerly.

“(y/n)…” Obito stated softly, his voice full of appreciation for your support and praise as he looked up to your face again. That’s when he also noticed the bags under your eyes from him disrupting your precious sleep.

“I should bring you home, (y/n).” Obito glanced at the words written on your top before a small smile formed on his lips. “After all, you’d rather be sleeping.” Obito winked playfully as you lifted your hand over your mouth to stifle a hearty laugh.

_You love sleep, but you love Obito more._

“I don’t know if I can go back to sleep now. Your new technique really ‘fired’ me up!” You started to laugh even harder at your own pun as Obito happily chuckled with you.

He was so pleased that you shared the same joy about his progress as he did.

Your laughter finally died down as the air became still and silent. You watched your surroundings return to complete darkness as the remnants from Obito’s attack finally extinguished.

“It feels a little creepy out here. How about we go for a quick walk?” You ask comfortably in the direction of your friend; his face was unreadable in the dark but that didn’t stop you from seeing a firm nod, one that read, ‘I’m all for it!’

 

* * *

 

You and Obito walked quietly through the village, the silence between the two of you was familiar and comfortable; he had his arms crossed behind his head as Obito gazed up at the stars while walking alongside you.

Unbeknownst to you, Obito’s mind still fixated over what happened between you and him at Madara’s hideout only a few months ago. The two of you were so preoccupied with getting Rin back to the Leaf that he never got to properly discuss with you about what happened that day. If he were honest, Obito had also been intentionally avoiding bringing it up because he was rather ashamed of what happened.

He didn’t know exactly how to bring it up, but now, he felt ready.

 “I wanted to talk to you… about what you did for me that day.”

Your pace slowed a little as you looked up to your best friend; his arms still crossed behind his head, his focus on the night sky as if he were intentionally avoiding your face.

“What do you mean, Obito? What day?”

Obito shut his eyes in discomfort; he was hoping that you wouldn’t make him explain what day he was referring to.

“I mean the day we found Rin. The day we were up against Madara. He could’ve really messed me up… if it weren’t for… well… I just wanted to…”

Obito squeezed his eyes shut again and panicked as he felt his confidence drain from his body while a new, hostile emotion took its place.

“(y/n), you shouldn’t use yourself to protect me!” Obito snapped, his scolding glare landing on your injured shoulder. “You almost died because of me! Just, why would you do it? Why would you sacrifice _everything_ , just for me?” He asked rather accusingly. He had been asking himself these questions for months, and he couldn’t take it anymore as it finally boiled up to the surface. His sudden change in demeanor was a little jarring and he hadn’t meant to come off so strongly, but he was so horrified by remembering the look of sheer agony on your face and being coated in your blood that day, _because of him._ Obito felt personally responsible for your pain and suffering, and he didn’t think he was worth your life. He was almost angry that someone as wonderful as you would throw everything away for a nobody like him. He didn’t know what to do with these negative emotions, and he unintentionally displaced them onto you.

_Why would I sacrifice everything for him?_

The answer to his question… it’s actually quite simple.

“Because, _you’re_ my everything, Obito…”

You heard the words slip out of your mouth before you could truly process what you had just said. Your hand slapped over your mouth in an instant as you registered the meaning behind those words. You were absolutely appalled by what you just whispered to Obito as he stopped in his tracks on the small bridge you two were walking over. You stopped walking a few feet after him, completely terrified of turning around to face him, your hand still covering your mouth. After a few more excruciating seconds, you felt yourself turn to scan his reaction - Obito’s stance was tense as his arms stiffened at his sides. Your eyes hesitantly shifted up to his face where you watched as his dumbfounded expression met with yours. The awkward silence that followed was suffocating. You didn’t even try to conceal your blush as you finally tried to ease the thick air around the both of you.

“What I mean by that, is… that… I…” You sighed. You had no excuses. You meant every word that came out of your mouth. Your eyes slowly averted to the water under the bridge you were standing on, the feeling of embarrassment overwhelming your chest.

The stillness in the air persisted as Obito tried to process the meaning behind your words.

_I’m… her everything? (y/n) was willing to lose everything for me, and she’s completely okay with that? She really values me that much?_

Obito was astonished. He’d always known that _he_ was willing to sacrifice everything for (y/n)’s wellbeing, but he never truly processed that she returned those feelings just as strongly. He figured that her version of protection didn’t extend past defending him attentively with her jutsu, but her actions clearly showed that the feeling of self-sacrifice and protection, no matter the cost, was mutual. She truly would give anything to keep Obito safe.

_(y/n) really thinks I’m worth dying for._

Obito couldn’t ignore the blooming feeling developing in his chest because of you.

It felt wonderful.

You heard light footsteps approach you before Obito stopped to lean over the railing to watch the calming flow of the water with you as the moon reflected off the gently rippling surface below.

“….”

“Just promise me that you’ll never do anything like that again.” Obito asserted softly.

“I can’t.” You replied just as softly.

Obito exhaled out his nose in a strangely content defeat.

“I know.”

After a couple minutes of excruciating silence, Obito finally managed to express what he truly meant to tell you earlier.

“Thank you, (y/n). For everything.”

His sudden display of vulnerability caught you off guard. You were certain that he was going to react negatively toward your answer, which is assuming that he didn’t run far away from you first. The last time you expressed such intimate feelings to him, Obito asked you for some time to himself. Thinking about having to go through that pain again terrified you, but instead, he’s showing you the opposite reaction, one that was just as vulnerable as yours.

Obito was genuinely thanking you. He was thanking you for protecting him that day. He was thanking you for enduring that excruciating mission with him. Obito was thanking you for being his friend, for always being there for him, for lifting him up and giving him the courage he needs, and for never giving up on him.

You silently turned your head to Obito, his gaze still observing the dark pond below. You watched his eyes steadily move toward your direction as if he sensed you watching him before he slowly turned his head to return your gaze. The expression on his face was soft. Gentle. His eyelids slightly lowered as he studied your face. No smile adorned his lips but the vulnerable look on his face told you that his heart was full of cherishment for you.

 It looked… loving.

You scanned his serious but affectionate gaze before your eyes traveled to the goggles resting on his forehead. These ones were new. The bright orange goggles Obito was known for around the village got left behind in Madara’s cave in your haste to bring Rin home. When Obito finally realized they were lost, he sulked for days. You absolutely hated seeing him this way, so you decided to make a trip to a specialty shop that sells top-notch goggles and bought a brand new pair for Obito’s 18th birthday. Needless to say, he was over the moon for your gift. His old goggles were sturdy, but he’s worn them for most of his life. They were tarnished from use and were hard to see through from the numerous scratch marks riddled all over them. It was about time for an upgrade. Obito caught your gaze on his goggles as he lifted his hand to grab ahold of them in acknowledgement before a smile formed on his lips.

“They look pretty great, don’t they?”

A playful smile surfaced on your face at Obito’s question. “Yeah they do. Someone really cool must’ve gotten those for you.” You remarked in a lighthearted sarcastic tone.

Obito chuckled as he fiddled with his new goggles until the band suddenly slipped off his head and began falling to the water below. You acted quickly and caught the goggles by their strap with your foot before they could hit the water as you gripped the railing tightly to balance yourself.

_Thank goodness for these ninja skills!_

While fetching the goggles from your foot to your hands, Obito rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“I guess I’m not used to them just yet. Fastening the strap’s kinda different with these ones.”

Your slightly smug smile returned shortly after. “They aren’t too complicated for you, are they, Obito?”

“What? No way! There isn’t a single pair that I couldn’t pull off!” Obito announced as his thumb pointed to his chest confidently.

“I can see that! I just watched how you ‘pulled off’ these ones without even trying!”

“H-huh? Hey, that’s not…!” Obito paused for a second before growling and feigning irritation. “Get over here, (y/n)! I’m gonna make you regret those words!” Obito shouted teasingly as one hand tried to grab onto you while the other reached for his goggles in your hand.

“Nu uh, no way, you lost your goggle-wearing privileges, mister!” You joked as you evaded his grasp and started running off the bridge to the clearing a short distance away, with Obito giving chase.

“Get back here or I’ll show you no mercy!”

“Oh no! Whatcha gonna do, Bomb Blast Dance me to death?”

The two of you laughed as he continued to chase you, a light blush dusting both you and Obito’s cheeks. You ran until you started approaching a pond – one that felt strangely familiar.

_Is that…?_

Your thoughts distracted you enough for Obito to catch up with you and he playfully tackled you onto the soft ground just by the water’s edge.

“Gotcha! Now admit your defeat and hand them over!” Obito teased smugly as he held himself over you with both of his legs pressing into your outer thighs, pinning you to the ground with no escape. He made a point to lift his hands to his chest, his fingers forming the first part of his fire-style jutsu as a playful way to threaten you into giving up. You stared up at Obito with a genial but competitive look in your eye as the moist ground underneath you began to soak into your nightwear. Unfortunately, the sudden uncomfortable wetness on your back was enough for you to concede reluctantly to Obito’s demands.

“Okay, alright, _fine –_ you win this round, you big dork,” You tease as you direct your hand to Obito’s, inviting him to seize his goggles and claim victory.

Obito closed his eyes and smiled in smug satisfaction of his win as he reached for his prize. “I was expecting more of a fight from you (y/n), but when you’re up against the future Hokage, that’s –“

The next few moments were a whirlwind of motion as you suddenly lifted yourself up and shifted your weight onto Obito before he could finish his taunt. The next thing he knew, you had Obito pinned to the ground as you straddled his waist with your weight resting on his abdomen; your good arm held yourself up as you firmly planted your hand on the ground next to Obito’s head. Obito opened his eyes in shock, trying to process what in the world just happened to him as you dangled the goggles above his face.

“Well? Aren’t you gonna take back your goggles, ‘ _Lord Hokage_?’” You taunted back, unable to suppress your wide, smug smile as you peered down at the stunned Uchiha. 

Obito hadn’t even realized it, but getting ambushed caused his shinobi reflexes to kick in and triggered his body to respond by activating his Sharingan.

“H-hey, that – that’s not fair! You cheated!” Obito darted his crimson eyes all around him as he struggled to come up with excuses. “I – I had my eyes closed! I would’ve seen that coming a mile away if I had my goggles!” Obito stuttered as he defended himself, desperately trying to save the pride that was lost from being blindsided by his best friend.

You huffed out through your nose in amusement from seeing Obito so flustered from your surprise attack. Obito watched a humorous smirk form on your face and he couldn’t help but return your feelings with his own quiet grin.

After a moment of silence, one of you finally let a snicker slip from your upturned lips, leading to you and Obito erupting into a wholehearted and uncontrollable laughter over the entire exchange. Once your laughter finally died down, you peeked down at Obito, your body still atop his.

“I’ll settle for a tie, then.” You voiced more seriously as you moved the goggles from Obito’s face down to his hand. As you passed Obito his goggles, his hand brushed against yours and stroked your palm before he instinctively curved his fingers around your pinky and ring finger in an accidental slow caress. You and Obito tensed up from the contact as you both finally registered the situation you two were in.

Even though Obito awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan months ago, he was still not accustomed to the new abilities he gained from it. It wasn’t until you were on top of him did he realize that not only can he sense your chakra, he can also now sense finer details like your heartbeat. He inadvertently studied your heartrate as it sped up dramatically from his touch.

Your eyes shifted their focus from your joined hands up to his chest; Obito simultaneously followed your gaze as they slowly traveled from his chest back up to meet his crimson eyes.

Obito’s breath hitched at the sight of your eyes. They looked so striking under the moonlight. He felt his own heartrate quicken from the reminder of just how stunning you are.

The two of you froze there, absolutely petrified and unable to determine what to do next. You watched Obito as excess amounts of sweat started rolling off his temples; the blush invading his face was so red and prominent that you could easily see it in the fading moonlight. That’s when you became entirely aware of the unbearable burning in your own face as you abruptly stood up and lifted one of your hands to hide your face in embarrassment.

You didn’t know what to say. What _could_ you say after an exchange like that?

Obito’s body shifted to a reclining position with his legs bending at the knees, the blush never leaving his face.

The image of him sitting by this pond felt oddly nostalgic.

After some contemplation, you decided to walk quietly over to your best friend and took a seat next to him with your arms wrapping around both legs, your chin resting on your knees.

“I hope that I… didn’t hurt you, Obito.”

Obito shook his head roughly, being unable to speak or meet your gaze.

Unsettled by his uncharacteristic silence, you tried to think of something – _anything_ that could put his mind at ease and forget about what just happened as you combed the moist ground with your fingers in deep thought.

“Well, I’m glad that the ground’s so soft, I would’ve gone back to the hospital with some serious lashes from falling if it were any harder…!”

“….”

_You’re making it more awkward, (y/n)!_

_Wait, I can still save this! What if I said…_

“But maybe if I did, I could’ve shared a room with Rin…! Then we could have been, like, roommates…?”

_Rin? Yes. Remind him of his crush at a time like this. Really, (y/n)?_

At that, Obito finally peeked in your direction with a perplexed look on his face.

“You know (y/n)…”

You panicked at Obito’s reluctance. _That was a stupid idea, (y/n)!_

“…you really are weird.” Obito declared as he stared at you with a snarky expression before a refreshing smile formed on his lips that helped ease the tension around you two.

You inwardly sighed in relief now that Obito can stand looking at you again.

“Besides, I don’t think Rin’s room can hold two people, not since they moved her to that rehabilitation place.”

“Oh, that’s right!” You totally forgot Rin’s at the next stage of her healing process. “How’s her rehabilitation going?”

“I gotta say, rehab’s no joke. It takes a really strong person to be able to get through something like that, but I know Rin’s got what it takes.”

You studied Obito’s face intently for any signs of blushing as he talked about Rin, only to find none.

“Have you been visiting her often?”

“Of course I have! Any chance I get and I’m there! She needs someone to help her get through the day.”

You unfittingly chuckled in an attempt to drown out the ache quickly forming in your heart. “Well, isn’t _that_ a surprise.”

Obito raised his eyebrow at you. “Don’t turn into Kakashi on me, (y/n)!” Obito jested. “He said that exact thing to you on our last mission together, remember?”

“Yeah, right before that Akito guy caught and came this close to _destroying_ us!” You weren’t certain if by ‘destroy,’ you meant kill or if you were referring to how he almost destroyed your bond with Obito. “That was probably the wildest mission I’ve ever been on, aside from Madara, of course.”

Obito nodded firmly in agreement.

“But I did learn a lot about Kakashi that day…” You murmured, remembering the personal talk you and him had a short time ago.

“I… learned a lot about you, too…” Obito whispered before he could stop himself.

Your eyelids lowered solemnly as you turned your attention to the reflection of the sunrise appearing on the pond.

“Rin forgave me for how I treated her. You don’t have to worry about me ignoring her anymore.”

Obito smiled at that. “That’s not the only thing I learned about you that day,” Obito added as he joined your admiration of the scene emerging over the water.

You broke your gaze off the sunrise as you directed your attention back to Obito in confusion.

_What else did Akito tell him?_

You would never forget the day Akito revealed your secrets, but he didn’t spill _all_ of them. Some of your secrets you actually spilled yourself.

_Is he… talking about…?_

You stared at him slightly wide-eyed; Obito took your silence as a request to continue voicing his thoughts.

“What I mean by that… is, while we’re talking about Rin,”

Your shoulders faintly slouched in disappointment.

“I learned that day that you thought that I… loved her.”

What Obito said perked you back up.

_What does he mean ‘thought’? I know for a fact that he does…?_

“I was wondering how you knew about that, what made you think that about me and Rin.” Obito said as a statement more than a question.

Scenes from the show and everything Obito went through for Rin quickly flashed through your mind. “Just a woman’s intuition, I guess.” You uttered despondently as you switched your posture to mimic Obito’s reclining position with your good arm holding you up at your side while you two watched the sun finally peek over the trees.

Obito’s eyelids lowered in deep thought, as if he were contemplating saying more.

A couple more moments passed as a modest breeze swept through the area around you.

“It could be… that you were right,” Obito began; his words drew your attention from the horizon back to him as he continued to look out in the distance.

“I did love Rin.”

“….”

“Or… at least I thought I did…”

_Wh…what?_

 “Back then I was so sure, but…”

“But…? You guys didn’t get into a fight, did you?”

Obito faintly shook his head.

“Is it that she… doesn’t feel the same way?”

Another headshake from Obito that was just as solemn as the last.

He felt apprehensive about what he wanted to say, but something inside Obito was influencing his body without him even realizing it. His left hand subconsciously fidgeted and started inching away from him.

 “Obito… what happened?”

As you looked at Obito intently waiting for an explanation, you watched a deep redness surface on his face, his eyes still looking out at the view; but he seemed to be looking straight through it.

“…but then…”

Obito’s voice was low, subdued.

“I found…”

….

 “…the light of my life…”

The world seemed to pass by in slow motion for you as you tried to comprehend the meaning behind his words. You and Obito were lost, each deep in your own thoughts over his extremely sensitive revelation.

_After all this time and Obito… doesn’t love Rin? There’s someone else? I don’t understand. Obito loved Rin to death. How could anyone possibly replace her? Not to mention, who? Who could Obito love more than -_

You were pulled out of your thoughts when the chill from the wet grass on your fingers became overshadowed by something warm.

Something calloused, but gentle.

Tense, yet protective.

 Fumbling, but certain.

It took you a few moments to register that your best friend had delicately enveloped his hand over yours, his fingertips cautiously stroking the back of your fingers as if he were silently seeking your approval. As if on instinct, your hand flipped over to intertwine with his, your fingers linked and fit together like a lock and key.

The two of you sat there in absolute silence for the longest time, your hands never separating.

Utter disbelief gripped your entire being as your heart thumped wildly against your chest; you couldn’t grasp what was happening between you and Obito at that very moment.

The two of you have held hands in the past as a means of reassurance and support; it was an implicit way to declare that you have each other’s back, but this embrace was different. It was tender. It was silently telling you something. Something that you have been wishing for, ever since you came to terms with the feelings you had for your best friend.

_I… I can’t believe it. Obito… he’s talking about… me…? But it’s so unlike him to actually make any moves, it’s why he chickened out from asking out Rin in the show. Well, he is older now – and maybe letting it slip that he’s my everything gave him a firm enough push to do it…? I wonder… if I’m his everything, too…_

You were the first one to try to make eye contact as you tilted your head in Obito’s direction. He was still looking straight ahead, you couldn’t see part of his face but you saw sweat rolling down his cheeks as a vibrant red engulfed his face all the way up to his ears. Poor Obito looked so nervous. You began stroking the back of Obito’s hand with your thumb with a distinct fondness as you felt him jump slightly at your sudden tender touch. As if he understood your wordless concern for him, Obito shifted his attention back to you, though he already was concentrated on you, even if you didn’t realize it.

No words were spoken. You attentively examined Obito’s face as he looked down at you with such a vulnerable expression, his onyx eyes telling you that he was so afraid of doing something wrong. Your own eyes softened and you stroked Obito’s hand more firmly as a sweet, nervous, reassuring smile made its way to your lips. Your heart began to fill with a pleasant warmth as you watched Obito’s face relax and return your gaze with just as much fondness in his eyes as yours had.

The body language you and Obito were silently conveying to each other was potent. There was a strong feeling of intimacy and understanding in the air between the two of you.

_This is your chance, (y/n). Do it now -_

“O-Obito… I –“

Not a moment later, the radiating warmth of the sun instantly vanished and goosebumps emerged on your exposed skin from the chilly morning air and lack of sunlight. You and Obito directed your attention to the source of the blockage and to your surprise found one of your teammates standing upright on a small hill in the foreground.

“Jeez (y/n), there you are! We’ve been searching everywhere for you and here you are about to make out with a guy? Didn’t think you were that type of girl, to be honest. Ya think you know someone…” Your teammate trailed off as you quickly stumbled to your feet.

“Oh shut up, we weren’t doing anything, Hideki! Just go away, I saw enough of you on our last mission.”

Your teammate only stared at you, his eyebrow raised.

“Wait… don’t tell me there’s another one already…” You ask begrudgingly as you pinch the bridge of your nose with your thumb and index finger.

“Welp, looks like I got nothin’ to say to you, then,” Hideki shrugged in a smug way that never failed at getting on your nerves.

Your face locked into a blank stare as you reflected on how you got a grand total of zero hours of sleep last night, but after everything that happened between you and Obito, you would happily neglect sleep all over again.

“Let’s go, lovebird – and try not to sleep on the job,” your teammate remarked as he eyed your clothes once before he turned and walked away.

You eyed his back in mild annoyance as you shifted your focus back to Obito, his face still red as if he’d just got caught doing something scandalous.

“I have to go… I’m sorry about that, and sorry about _him_ ,” you voiced sheepishly as you offered your hand and helped Obito to his feet, his trembling hand was sticky and moist from the nervous sweat coating his palm.

The two of you stood there awkwardly, trying to figure out what to do next; the barriers of being best friends was breached and neither one of you knew exactly what to do. You needed time to process everything that happened that night.

“I’ll… see you around?” You flashed him an anxious smile and Obito returned with an exaggerated close-eyed smile that looked even more nervous.

“Y-yeah…! I’ll see you… tonight, maybe? On my roof?”

You nodded eagerly, flashing him a genuine smile. “Don’t burn any houses down with your new Jutsu while I’m gone - my big doofus.”

At that, you finally parted ways with Obito as you ran to catch up with your teammate.

“We need to stop somewhere and get you dressed. You’re embarrassing me.”

“Gosh, you’re so bitter today! You aren’t jealous, are you, Hideki?”

“Oh, jealous of what, how short you are?”

The sound of the two of you bickering grew faint while Obito stood by the water’s edge as he watched you leave; his eyes focused on your back as he absentmindedly imagined what you would look like with the Uchiha symbol on the back of your clothing. He immediately shook off those thoughts as another fierce blush covered his cheeks from thinking of such a thing. Obito couldn’t help it. He has always been a very future-oriented person; such thoughts are like second nature to him. It seemed like so long ago when Obito finally accepted his feelings for you, but he was certain about it. The two of you have been through hell and back together, and he’s pleasantly aware that those deep feelings for you only continue to intensify.


	18. Sacrifices

Weapons clashed through the air in a seemingly endless cycle, the sound of metal grinding against metal, howls and yells coupled with the rugged pounding of tempest rain and thunder saturated your surroundings. Obito, Rin and Kakashi as well as numerous other Leaf ninja were summoned to rendezvous in an area between the Hidden Leaf Village and Hidden Cloud Village because of the alleged betrayal by Cloud ninja and attempted kidnapping of the Hyuga princess, Hinata. You weren’t expecting to accompany the mission but a member of the Uchiha clan had stopped you with an urgent message from the Fourth Hokage to join the group immediately. It surprised you that the Hokage decided to send you of all people, especially since you had a prior appointment set up and were on your way to see Minato before receiving your new orders. Regardless, you found yourself well beyond the village borders.

Tension was high between the Leaf and Cloud shinobi; both syndicates idled on standby near the frontlines in preparation for if negotiations fell through. The four of you were discussing a potential battle strategy in case things get serious when Obito began to lose focus; one hand clutched his goggles while he idly dug his pinky finger into his ear with a bored expression on his face until a pointed object sticking out of the ground piqued his interest. Obito’s voice clearly indicated fascination as he beckoned you over to check it out with him. You moved from your spot to Obito’s location when a sudden yell from a Cloud ninja on the other side followed by an unanticipated lightning blast struck a fellow Leaf shinobi directly behind where you stood, startling _everyone_. You stood there completely stunned at the blatant disregard for the peace treaty and you seriously considered the attack to be an accident, but you didn’t have time to assess the situation very long as enraged Leaf ninja immediately charged to the other side in preparation for battle – with the intention to kill.

“Obito, we’ll issue a direct attack on the enemy at 3 o’clock. Take the lead and I’ll cover you. (y/n), Rin, head for 9 o’clock and protect that group from the enemy, and keep an eye on their lightning weapons. We’ll meet back here once the fighting clears,” Kakashi ordered the three of you; his levelheaded composure supplied you with confidence to fight.

“Right!” You all say in unison as the two pairs split in opposite directions toward the battlefield.

Rin immediately tended to an already injured shinobi lying on the ground while you kept running to defend the Leaf group up ahead. One Leaf nin was already struck down before you could even begin to form hand signs.

_These ninja are so fast!_

You’ve always known that a strength of Hidden Cloud Ninja was their speed, but seeing it up close was an eye-opening experience as you assessed that your protective Jutsu was much too slow to defend anyone from these weapons.

_What… what can I do, then…?_

You heard a threatening sound of a sword sliding out of its sheath as you watched a Cloud shinobi about to strike down someone from the Abarame clan. Your legs worked faster before you could sensibly assess what to do, while flagrantly disregarding the heavy wind and vicious rain cascading directly into your face and mudding your vision. You naturally did what your instincts thought best: you ran in front of your comrade and blocked the attack directly with a simple kunai, the lightning emanating from the sword proceeded through the metal knife and struck your hand with a painful zap. You yelped in surprise and quickly jumped back, taking your teammate safely back with you. Not even a second after your feet touched the ground, the same Cloud shinobi appeared behind you, a cocky smirk broke out on his face as he roughly kicked your back, forcing your chest forward and sending you to the ground several meters away, separating you from your teammate.

“This is bad, this is bad, _this is bad,”_ you chanted to yourself as your body repeatedly rolled off the ground. You began forming hand signs desperately before you came to a complete stop in anticipation of the enemy charging with a finishing blow, and successfully formed a thick earth barrier around yourself. The barrier forced you to an abrupt stop once your shoulder slammed violently against its sturdy walls, effectively rooting you inside the compact shell. The wailing and crashing from outside became muffled, the only clear noise coming from your pounding chest and your labored breathing as you struggled to recover from the sudden attacks.

After a few moments, your breathing began to steady. The air inside your barrier was stifling and it got eerily quiet around you.

You momentarily switched your breathing from your mouth to your nose in an attempt to listen closely to your surroundings…

“….”

_What’s going on out th-_

*SHING*

Your eyes slowly widened as you struggled to register the blinding light that had vertically pierced through your barrier. You stared at the flashing blade, your mind in a complete blank; the only perceivable sense was an intense heat seeping from your torso.

“Did I getcha?” You heard before your barrier shattered violently into shards of electricity to reveal the assailant – the same Cloud ninja you had just defended your teammate from.

“Don’t’chu know that Earth Style is weak to Lightning Style? Are all Leaf shinobi that brainless?” He mocked before leisurely sliding his sword out of your rigid body, your pitiful squeal of pain never ceasing even after the blade no longer had any contact.

“Listen, it really is a shame that our villages can’t get along. We weren’t expecting an actual fight but I’ll show you mercy and take you out of your misery, sound like a plan?” He offered with a hint of sympathy in his voice.

You stared up at the man while a thin line of blood trickled out your mouth, your mind still in complete shock when a tiny spot flying in front of his face caught your eye. In less than a moment, that one speck turned into hundreds, then thousands of tiny insects that invaded his vision and distracted him enough for your comrade of the Abarame clan to scoop you up and immediately flee the battlefield.

Smaller droplets of rain pattered softly against your face. Your damp, disheveled hair matted to your cheeks as you stared blankly at the sunless overcast while being carried; black spots began clouding your vision before your attention fell on the yelling of your name a short distance away. You somehow found the strength to turn your head to the source of the noise only to see your best friend racing toward you, his eyebrows furrowed in panic. You felt your eyelids drop slowly and you struggled to keep them open until they shut for what felt like only a second.

You gradually opened your eyes back up, but this time severe delirium from blood loss clouded your mind; your body violently jerked around from your teammates carrying you in a frenzied rush. You could barely make out muffled yelling-

“Obito, you can’t lose any more blood –“

“I don’t care, just keep her awake!”

Muffling.

“ _Why would they send (y/n) out there knowing she’s weak to lightning?!”_

_“We know, Obito, just keep it down and let Rin focus,”_

More muffling.

You blinked only for a moment again and found that a flimsy fabric had replaced your view of the miserably grey sky. You lazily tilted your head around the small tent while on your back and saw that your top had been cut down the middle where a deep, red, oozing mess now occupied; your blurry attention then landed on Rin as she stared intently on your wound, appearing to be very focused and extremely distressed. Your eyes then shifted to the figure next to her; Obito was grasping at your hand tightly, one of his eyes was squeezed shut with his teeth clenched in what appeared to be immense pain as he looked down at you. Seeing that you were awake, Obito’s entire face softened with hope, but you managed to detect that his face was incredibly pale and even a little sunken. He tried calling for you but all you could hear was an intense ringing before you slipped back out of consciousness, but not before watching Obito’s expression morph back into pain as he yelled out to you in clear, unrestricted desperation.

You heard the soothing sound of crickets outside as you slowly opened your eyes, determined to keep them open this time. You were confused to see nothing but pitch blackness around you and wondered if you somehow had gone blind before you finally established that it was simply dark outside. You then became thoroughly aware of an intense burning, throbbing, agonizing pain emanating from your chest as you clutched the bandaging and panted heavily – trying anything to ease the harrowing torture seizing your upper body. Watching you stir roused the figure watching over you and they stood up to walk quietly towards the cot. The mysterious shadow frightened you and you tried to sit up abruptly only for that figure’s hand to gesture you back down.

“Easy, (y/n).”

_That voice…_

“K-Kakashi…?” You asked, the fragility written all throughout your tone.

At that, Kakashi lit a candle next to your head, the warm glow brought comfort to your aching muscles.

“What… what are you doing in here?”

Kakashi looked down at you and smiled, you couldn’t see his lips under the darkness of his mask but you could see the indication through a warm gleam in his eyes.

“Just thought I’d check up on a friend,” he simply stated as his eyes closed in casual delight.

Your heart swelled at Kakashi’s changed demeanor. After all these years of trying to get on his good side, and Kakashi has finally accepted you as his friend. The sensation from the change in your heartrate was soon replaced by that intense dull throbbing as you let out an undignified groan from the pain. You weren’t expecting a deep wound to still be present on your chest. On your first mission together, Rin was able to heal the gash in your abdomen with minimal issues, but this injury was different. It was close to your heart.

Evidence of Kakashi’s smile began to fade as he watched you tense in agony. “That really was a close call. Too close. You wouldn’t believe how much effort it took to calm Obito down so Rin could work on you. You’re not in immediate danger of bleeding out anymore, at least…” Kakashi trailed off as if he were holding something back from you.

You were surprised that you awoke to Kakashi and not Obito. You were disappointed that your best friend wasn’t here with you, more so than you would ever let on. At least another one of your friends was here to comfort you, you thought to yourself. Still, you worried about Obito and his whereabouts. Something just didn’t feel right.

“Kakashi, where’s Obito? It’s not like him to-” your words halted as you watched Kakashi’s expression morph from neutral to grim, his foreboding expression emphasized by the dim candlelight.

“How do I say this…” Kakashi’s eyes went downcast. “By all accounts, you weren’t supposed to have survived that injury, (y/n). You lost too much blood for any healing to work on you. Now Obito. When he saw your condition, he immediately ordered Rin to transfer his own blood to you. Other nin told him that any blood he gave you would immediately bleed out of your wound. They thought that you were a lost cause so nobody offered their own blood, but Obito refused to give up on you.”

Kakashi paused, allowing you to soak in everything he was telling you.

“We got lucky. Obito’s blood happened to be in the O category so there was a greater chance that your body would accept his blood. Mine’s O, too, but I had a bit of a scuffle myself and wasn’t able to get back here in time,” He says while grazing his hand over the bandages on his side.

“Rin was taking blood directly from Obito and transmitting it to you the entire way they were carrying you back to the site. You should’ve seen the blood trail they left behind, it’s… how I was able to find my way back,” Kakashi tried ending humorously as his arm reached to scratch the back of his head with a nervous expression on his face.

He was met with silence.

“Well, anyway. Obito’s blood was able to sustain you long enough for Rin to mend your injury.”

You quietly peered down at the bandaged gash on your chest.

“…It was much worse. Trust me.”

“Where is he?”

“…”

“Kakashi?”

“He’s... resting nearby.”

Kakashi’s attempts at eluding your questions gave away his blaring reluctance to what he had to tell you, causing a smothering rigidity in the air between the two of you. It was becoming increasingly difficult for either one of you to keep a collected composure.

Exasperation overtook you as you abruptly stood up from your cot to face Kakashi, blatantly ignoring your severe dizziness and fatigue in doing so.

“Kakashi,” solemnness stained your voice.

“How much blood did Obito lose…”

“Enough,”

“Enough for _what,”_

“Enough for you to lie back down and not worry about him. Obito would want you to rest,” Kakashi gently raised his hand in front of you as a gesture for you to repose.

“What do you mean he _would want?”_

Kakashi didn’t respond.

“You’re not saying he…?”

“We don’t know, (y/n),” Kakashi finally blurted out, unable to avoid the truth anymore. His face was just as devastated as yours was.

“…We don’t know if he can recover from this.”

The entire world seemed to come crashing down on you, the stinging pang in your chest grew exponentially worse. Without another word, you shifted your focus to the tent flap as you struggled to walk to the exit, only for Kakashi to step in your way. It took a few years, but he had finally gained enough height to loom over you.

“You can’t go. You’ll reopen your wound, and then Obito’s sacrifice would have been for nothing,” he asserted sympathetically.

You paused to look at him for only a moment before you struggled to leave again.

“ _(y/n),”_ Kakashi said this time with commanding insistence in his tone, one that made you halt in mild surprise.

Kakashi stood behind you as he watched your head lower and shoulders start to tremble.

“Kakashi…” you blurted out between shallow breaths. “Please. This is because of me. Obito wouldn’t be like this if I wasn’t so careless. I should have known better… I need to see him. I need… to tell him…” you trailed off as you slowly stumbled forward again as Kakashi looked on silently, his head averted to the ground with a conflicting expression on his face.

Your hand broke through the thin fabric of the tent and struggled to grasp a nearby beam to steady yourself and catch your breath. You had far too little blood to be going anywhere. Not long after, you tensed as you felt a pair of hands gently lift you: one held a strong grip under your knees and the other firmly supported your back. You looked up in surprise to see Kakashi holding you as he began to walk steadily through the stillness of the night. Kakashi caught your baffled stare before returning his gaze to a tent in the distance.

“Well, if you insist on going then I might as well make things easier for you,” he tried saying in a casual tone in an attempt to hide the fact that he is actually contented in helping you in any way he can.

 

* * *

 

The light of the moon pierced its way into the dark tent as Kakashi gently set you down on the hard ground below and stood up in search of a candle.

“Why is it so dark in here? Shouldn’t there be medical ninja watching Obito?”

_Come to think of it, it was completely dark in my tent, too. I was lucky that Kakashi was watching over me, but why wasn’t anyone else?_

“Rin’s the only medical ninja in our squad, (y/n). This was only supposed to be a peaceful standoff. Nobody was expecting that we would end up engaging in combat, so they didn’t think to send more medics.”

“Are you… serious?”

Kakashi successfully found and lit a candle before passing you a solemn nod. “Medical nin aren’t a common class of shinobi. The village is short-staffed as is. Rin isn’t completely done with her rehabilitation, either. We’re lucky that we were sent any at all.” Kakashi made his way to Obito’s cot, carefully placing the candle to where the light won’t disturb him.

Your eyes followed the candle before finally landing on Obito’s motionless body. He had a thick bandage around his chest from where Rin sapped blood directly from his heart with impossible precision. He looked… so drained.

“If you two have the same blood type… then why haven’t you transferred some of yours to him?”

“You say that as if I haven’t done that already,” Kakashi states calmly, the wrapping around his chest taking your notice. “We just don’t know if it was too late. Obito had already gone into shock by the time I got to him.”

“…”

_This is all my fault. I let him get this way. I should have tried to… I… I could have done more… Why couldn’t I…?_

Kakashi’s eyes softened with empathy as he watched you deep in thought before turning his attention to Obito.

_You better get through this, Obito. If not for yourself, then for her._

“Kakashi,” an unfamiliar voice called from outside before a Leaf nin stuck his upper body into the tent. “Another casualty. We could use your help carrying this one,” the man stated in an unsettlingly neutral tone.

Kakashi sighed and turned to leave the two of you, but not before planting a firm hand on your shoulder with a reassuring grip before leaving.

You stared at Obito for what felt like hours. Your entire body grew numb from the uncushioned ground but you refused to get up. You only moved from that spot occasionally to check on Obito’s pulse, which was alarmingly faint.

As you continued to watch over him, your mind wandered to that night where Obito opened up about his feelings for you, but you had to cut the meeting short to go on an emergency mission. The two of you weren’t able to get closure, and now you’re afraid that you never will.

“Obito…” you murmured while clutching his lukewarm hand. “Y-you can get through this. I can’t lose you… remember?”

 

* * *

 

Sleep didn’t find you that night. The unique pain in your chest combined with the sheer anxiousness about Obito’s condition kept you thoroughly restless and on edge. You stayed in that spot for the entirety of the next day and well into the next night; and Obito’s condition had not improved. It took every ounce of mental strength for you to not panic, but you needed to stay strong, _for him._ You were so lost in thought that you didn’t notice the arm reaching into the tent to pull away its folds. Kakashi trekked in shortly after and stood over you and Obito.

“…We’ll be heading out in the morning,” Kakashi announced bluntly but with a particular gentleness in his voice.

“Obito and I will catch up with you.”

“I can’t leave you here; we’re still on enemy territory. The last thing we need is for you to get captured and lose you along with Obi-“

“Obito’s not going to die, Kakashi!” You snapped and aggressively tilted your head in his general direction. A couple moments passed by before you realized just how hostile you sounded.

“P-please forgive me, Kakashi. I’m just… it’s so hard… to be the reason why he’s suffering,” you choked out as your vision clouded with tears.

Kakashi placed his hand on the top of your head fondly as he stood over you, his gaze never leaving Obito.

“You have to remember. Obito wanted this more than anything. He values your life over his. Please try to understand that.”

You understood that feeling all too well.

“Again,” Kakashi turned with his back facing yours. “We leave in the morning.”

He slowly trudged ahead and paused when he was midway out of the tent. His tired eyes dropped over the odds of Obito’s survival.

“I’m sorry,” Kakashi said in a whisper, trying to conceal the hurt in his voice as he internally struggled with his own feelings of dismay for his teammate’s condition. Even after finally revoking his previous frigid view on his teammates, Kakashi still hadn’t found an appropriate opportunity to truly reconcile with Obito about the way he treated him all these years; he may now have lost that chance forever. Kakashi’s mental stability only deteriorated further over pondering such a notion. He needed time. He needed to recuperate. Without another word, he was gone.


	19. Mutualism

It must have been the longest night of your life. Your squad was to pack everything and return home that following morning, and Obito still hadn’t woken up. You were scared that attempting to bring him home would rupture his opening and cause him to never wake up again. In your hands, you tightly clutched the stuffed animal he’d given you for your birthday; its worn fur stained red from the fresh blood that escaped through your wound and soaked into its fiber.

 _It’s funny,_ you thought.

_I don’t know if this is from my blood, or yours, Obito._

The guilt you felt over your best friend’s sacrifice ate away at you as you continued to stare into his paled expressionless face. You grasped that this must have been what Obito felt when he thought he lost you to Madara, and now you can confirm that the feeling truly is _hell._

For what had to have been the hundredth time, you pulled out the picture you kept in your pocket, one that also gave you strength during missions like these. The picture itself was beginning to fade and its ragged edges gave away its age but it never ceased with soothing your mind and bringing a smile to your face. It was of you and Obito; one arm wrapped around his shoulder and your faces pressed together in a playful and endearing manner. Obito had managed to sneak in bunny ears on you, which may explain the larger than usual smile he sported that day. That was definitely the highlight of your picture. His smile. Obito always had the most uplifting winning smile. The way he would close his eyes in delight from seeing you always filled your heart with such joy. You were so terrified of never seeing that smile ever again. You stared at that picture for hours.

Your concentration eventually began to degrade, with your attention shifting to your surroundings. You were disturbed by the lack of medical supplies in the base – or any supplies for that matter. Distraught also filled you from the inexcusable shortage of medical ninja on such a potentially perilous mission. Rin came by to check on Obito occasionally and even addressed your wound, but she would reluctantly leave shortly after to mind more mortally wounded ninja. It must be so incredibly difficult to be the only one trained to treat so many injured shinobi, especially since Rin was still recovering from being taken hostage by Zetsu. You promised her that you would watch over Obito for the both of you.

_This wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m sorry, Obito… I’m so sorry… Why am I so… damn… weak…? I don’t know how to take care of myself. I don’t know what to do. What would I do if you…? No. I won’t give up on you. I need to have faith in you, like you did with me._

While deep in thought, you felt a twitch on the hand that was holding Obito’s and you snapped your head in his direction in shock. You watched his eyebrows quiver and furrow before his lids rose in what felt like slow motion. His dark eyes immediately landed on you and he fixated them there for what felt like forever.

Neither one of you spoke. The conflicting sensations of guilt and anger, euphoria and relief overwhelmed your senses, wracking your body to an indescribable degree of emotion. You felt your mouth open on its own and immediately tasted salty drops as you only then realized that you had begun to cry from seeing Obito’s eyes again. Obito tried uttering your name, but only gargled noises managed to pass through his dried lips. You instantly reached for a jug of water and held Obito’s head up as he drank; all the while, you were still in sheer astonishment that he managed to pull through for you. You wanted to hug him. You wanted to squeeze Obito and never let him go ever again, but you couldn’t. Both of you were far too fragile to disrupt the minimal amount of blood shared between the two of you. Still, you held on to his limp arm with a grip that told him of all of the pent up emotions you had harbored for the last few days.

“(y/n),” he finally spoke. His eyes were baggy and half lidded, and was rather pale, but he was still the most stunning man you had ever seen. Especially now since you have the comfort of knowing that he was still with you, and that his sworn protector wasn’t the cause of his death in the form of some cruel, twisted irony.

Morning came quickly now that Obito was finally awake. You helped him eat and clean up and before you knew it, it was time to head home - but there was one more thing you _had_ to do first. Since Rin had been so preoccupied, she had no time to provide Obito with fresh bandages. You were by no means a medical expert, but you did know basic patching techniques. You were hesitant in changing Obito’s bandages yourself in fear of opening Rin’s incision so you held off on it. Now that he was awake, you felt much more comfortable with switching them out under his watch.

“Tell me if I hurt you, okay Obito?” You pleaded as you began unwrapping the stained bandages from his chest with a particular tenderness in your touch. You had to be extremely careful with your movements, it was difficult enough to move your arms but the lack of a healthy amount of blood put you at risk of passing out from even the slightest physical activity.

The bandages peeled off with an audible noise and the deeper wrapping stuck to his wound like a second skin. Obito winced at the sensation, but refused to admit that it hurt. He didn’t need to tell you anything, at this point in your life you can read Obito like a book. Still, your expression fell from thinking of your negligence toward him.

“I’m so sorry, Obito. I should have changed your bandages sooner. You just looked so fragile, I was so afraid of touching you –“

“H-hey…” Obito interjected. “Who… are you calling… fragile?” Obito looked at you with irritation before a tired, playful smile broke out on his face.

Your eyebrows expressed surprise before they changed to adoration for your best friend’s strong resiliency and you returned his gleam with your own softer one.

Finally the soiled bandages separated from his skin and you discarded them with one hand while picking up a rag and rubbing alcohol with the other.  You quietly dabbed the liquid into the cloth and offered Obito a sympathetic look, one that told him, ‘this is going to hurt,’ before setting it on his exposed skin. Obito winced, his eyebrows furrowing in immense pain; your facial expression subconsciously mimicked his as you lifted your other hand to his chin and directed his attention to your face.

“Just try to look at me… if that helps you, okay?” You coo softly as you begin to rub the dried blood off his chest.

Looking at your face helped Obito more than you could ever imagine.

Soon his pain from the alcohol subsided and you instructed Obito to lift his arms so you can apply fresh new gauze to his chest.

The two of you sat in silence; he could tell that something was on your mind just by looking at you. Your attention shifted from his chest up to his eyes for an instant before it returned to your work.

“You know what I’m wanting to say, don’t you?”

“I have… a few ideas…” he muttered sheepishly.

You finally exhaled a breath you didn’t realize you were holding in. “I can’t believe you would go this far for me. To tell you the truth, it’s almost infuriating that you would sacrifice this much. I came this close to losing you. You almost died, because of _me_.” Your grip on the wrappings got tighter as you continued to sheathe Obito’s cut delicately.

“I never felt… so scared, Obito.”

Obito let out a light chuckle. “I know the feeling…”

You let a small grin escape your lips.

“….”

“Just promise me that you'll never do anything like that again.”

“I can’t.”

You paused your wrapping for a moment and allowed your focus to return to Obito’s face, your stern look instantly melting away from the warmth radiating off Obito’s soft expression. That powerful feeling of self-sacrifice, no matter the cost, truly was mutual. You let your tiny smirk morph into a contented smile.

“I know.”

You secured his bandages and let Obito finally stretch out his muscles. Watching him unwind prompted you to start subconsciously stretching your muscles too, when you let out a pained hiss from the sudden stinging in your torso. You were so preoccupied with Obito that you neglected the discomfort in your own chest.

Obito watched your pained face with concern before his eyes descended to your torso; your bandages were even grimier than his was; now there was a patch where the dark color looked fresher than the rest.

“(y/n),” Obito expressed with light agitation in his voice. “If you’ve been tending to me this whole time, then who’s been tending to you?”

You paused in thought. “K-Kakashi’s checked up on me here and there…”

“And he didn’t think to help you change your bandages?”

A small blush formed on your cheeks. “W-well… he was probably scared to… since, you know,” you trailed off as you modestly gestured around your feminine chest.

Now it was Obito’s turn to shoot you a stern look. “That shouldn’t matter at a time like this! You can’t leave dirty bandages on like that. Turn around, I’ll switch them out.” Before you could protest, he cautiously gripped your arms and guided you to turn around with your back facing him. The thin and ragged gauze began unraveling by Obito’s discretion, and soon the chilly morning air grazed your exposed upper body. Your light blush morphed into a stinging feverish one, and you grew anxious about someone choosing to walk in at this very moment. This was an entirely different experience for you, and it was new for Obito as well. He’s patched you up in the past, but never with an injury as serious as this one, and not in such a personal place, either.

Obito paused; his hesitance only fueled your rising uneasiness.

“I forgot that I… need to clean it,” the bashful tone in his voice was contagious and the two of you sat there in awkward silence trying to determine how to go about this.

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea, you’re really hurt, too. You shouldn’t have to do this, Obito.”

Obito’s nerves got the best of him and he seriously contemplated your opposition, but then he peered down at his own fresh gauze and what you did to help him. A serious look soon replaced his embarrassed one.

“Hand me that rag.”

_There’s no turning back now, I guess._

You passed Obito the cloth you used to wipe his wound, and he folded it to use the portions that remained untouched from dried blood. The two of you had no choice but to use the same rag; the squad truly was unprepared and the scarce medical supplies unpleasantly reflected that.

“Could you… turn around…?”

“I’m working on it.” You needed to calm the blistering heat in your cheeks first.

You inhaled deeply through your nose, ignoring the sharp twinge it sent to your injured chest. You then closed your eyes tightly and tried to keep your mouth closed in a straight line as your body finally turned to face your best friend. You kept your eyes squeezed shut, physically and mentally unable to look at him as you felt the cold dampness of the rag on your bare chest followed by an unspeakable sting that overwhelmed your senses. Obito remained quiet. Whether it was because he was concentrating or trying not to lose his composure, you weren’t sure. He silently brushed the rag daintily over your chest to remove the smeared blood engraved into your skin. Your head cocked to the side when you finally peeked your eyes open to stare at the tent’s fabric flapping from the steady wind outside while your best friend steadily tended to your wound with meticulous sensitivity resembling  how you had treated his.

Eventually, you felt the comfort of material against your chest again and you lifted your arms to allow Obito easier access while adamantly continuing to avoid his direction. With trembling hands, he tethered fresh gauze around you for only a few more moments before the sensation abruptly paused. Your eyebrows knitted in confusion as you finally tilted your head toward Obito to relay your silent puzzlement to why he stopped so soon. The moment you two made eye contact, Obito’s dark eyes averted to the ground in clear discomfort. The fervent blush stained his cheeks long before you decided to look his way.

Bashfulness is so unlike him. You tried hard not to feel guilty about putting him in this situation, but you, of course, failed miserably. You inspected Obito’s work and to your surprise found that he’d only had enough bandaging to wrap around your torso four times, just barely enough to cover your chest, let alone sustain a vital injury.

“There isn’t any more,” Obito murmured as his onyx eyes returned to you, his face communicated to you that he was sorry. He was so, _so_ sorry.

Anxiety gnawed your heart as you thought about traveling home in this condition, but it was certainly safer than leaving with an uncleaned lesion. Who knows what sort of infection you could have contracted, if it weren’t for Obito.

“Obito. Thank you,” you regarded with such fondness in your voice that it caught Obito off guard. He was sure that you would be so distressed by being forced to leave like this, but you were always so compassionate toward him and put his needs above your own; he shouldn’t be surprised that he was met with gratitude instead of apprehension. Your reaction filled Obito’s heart with a warm and pleasant satisfaction.

The air was still while the two of you observed each other quietly. You carefully studied the emotions visible through his onyx eyes. You loved that particular attribute of the Uchiha clan. His unique charcoal eyes, as if they were designed to reflect the fiery, smoldering passion held in Obito’s soul. You thought that you could always tell how Obito was feeling just by looking into those expressive eyes, but you never would have guessed how he truly felt about you. Everything feels so transparent now. Your feelings for him. His feelings for you.

Obito saw it too. Encased in your eyes was a spark that only shined when you looked at _him_. It took him so long to spot that profound glimmer in your eyes. He wondered if it’s the same spark that resides in his soul.

So many times Obito wished the courage he’d get on the battlefield would present itself and give him the confidence he needed to finally express his deep feelings for you - to finally confess, but he doesn’t know how. He wants to tell you. He wants you to know.

You pulled Obito out of his thoughts when you slowly leaned closer to him. His eyes widened and he instinctively began to lean backward to maintain space between you two, but something inside of him ordered Obito to stop.

A unique swelling overtook his heart that replaced the pain in his chest when Obito felt the warmth of your lips connect with his. Obito’s breath hitched as he struggled with the conflicting emotions rising inside of him. A hybrid of passion and euphoria wrestled with his fears and anxiety and it clearly showed in his body language. Obito’s entire body grew rigid. His lips trembled. You could sense how utterly taken aback Obito was by your bold move. As if on instinct, your hand reached to brush against his cheek and stroked his face in the hopes of calming him, soothing him while guiding the kiss. Your actions were rewarded when his shocked eyes slowly eased, then closed as he began melting into the kiss, and he eagerly returned your intimate feelings through a wordless embrace. Obito’s body relaxed more and subconsciously began leaning closer to yours as if seeking further comfort and reassurance from your touch. You were pleased when you felt the tension slowly escape his body, and you were pleasantly surprised that your tender actions and the responses elicited from them were strangely soothing your own body and mind as well. It was a beautiful feeling. Your lips were soothing Obito. Shushing him gently, allowing him, and encouraging him to surrender.

For years, you and Obito concealed your feelings for each other, and all of those pent-up emotions finally unleased as you both outwardly affirmed all the repressed mutual sentimentality that had tensely gripped your hearts for the longest time. The gentle unspoken communication told you two everything. Your missions together, helping to improve each other’s skills, eating together, the late night strolls around the village, _all those nights spent stargazing._ Every moment spent together was worth the sacrifices you two made for each other.

Upon that recognition, your voiceless declaration deepened; the blossoming sensations in both your chests overrode the identical wounds around your hearts.

 

“Ahem,”

You and Obito snapped your eyes open and gasped in terror as you twisted your body around to face the poor soul who walked in on you two. Kakashi stood by the entrance, his shadow blanketed over your tense forms. He scrutinized your flustered faces, ignoring the sheen of fresh saliva that coated both your chins; that’s when he noticed the indecency that was your poorly bandaged chest. Both of Kakashi’s eyebrows raised and his lower eyelids squinted in a mix of surprise and awkwardness, and perhaps even an inkling of mortification as the three of you gaped at each other in the excruciatingly unpleasant silence.

“I just… wanted to come by and tell you it’s time to pack up. Glad to see that you’re okay, Obito. (y/n) was really worried about you,” Kakashi purposefully ended the conversation on you to divert the attention off him as he uncomfortably vacated the tent. Kakashi had the utmost relief that his teammate woke up in time, but he also underwent severe secondhand embarrassment that permeated the rest of his emotional capacity. He had to get out of there.

Your attention turned back to Obito and you were surprised to see that the color of his eyes was a deep red from unintentionally activating his Sharingan, and you wondered if it was from the heat of passion or from the shock of Kakashi ‘catching’ you two. It was an identical hue to the flushed color of his entire face – especially around his cheekbones. Obito was breathing heavily, likely dizzy from the sudden acceleration of his heartrate that disrupted his weakened blood flow. You helped Obito into calming down, ignoring the unsteadiness present in your own body; and soon after you and your squad departed for home, with your giddy best friend in tow.

 

* * *

 

Questions began invading your thoughts midway through the trip home, and you switched your focus to each one just as often as your teammates took shifts carrying your weakened figure back to the village.

_Why did Minato-sensei decide to send me, an Earth Style user, out against the Cloud? The message he sent specifically requested me to go. Why me? I didn’t think we would actually face off against them, either. How could I forget that Earth is weak to Lightning, anyway? I’ve only seen the show countless times, after all!_

You sighed at your carelessness.

_With that said, I don’t recall anything like that battle ever being mentioned in the show. Not even once. So, why? Why did the Cloud attack? And why did the Hokage send me out on the frontlines? He knows my chakra nature. It just doesn’t make sense! Minato-sensei would never… would he?_

Your eyes narrowed in concentration over these thoughts, but something prompted you to glance over at your best friend who was a short distance away. A comrade was carrying him as well, despite Obito stubbornly refusing the help at first, only to begrudgingly accept once he took two steps out of the tent before falling flat on his face. You smiled adoringly at the color returning to his face as he rested peacefully in your teammate’s arms. You then shut your own eyes contently and reveled in the feelings expressed between you and Obito at the pond and in the tent, your smile never leaving you for the rest of the way home.


	20. Swelling Fire

_Why? Why would Minato-sensei send an Earth Style user to the Land of Lighting? He’s smarter than that. He wouldn’t purposefully and needlessly put me in harm’s way, right?_

Those intrusive thoughts plagued your mind even weeks after returning to the Hidden Leaf Village following your close brush with death at the hands of a lightning-style user of the Hidden Cloud. You didn’t want to blame Minato since you should have been more mindful about the elemental matchup, but that didn’t stop you from wondering – _why._ Something just wasn’t right and you knew it.

You recall the morning where your teammate Hideki interrupted your earnest meeting with Obito by the pond to respond to an emergency mission personally issued by the Hokage. You immediately felt that something was off about Minato as soon as you stepped into his office as he occasionally glanced your way with a specific look in his eyes while instructing your team of the _mission_ – though you had your suspicions that this ‘emergency mission’ was just a cover-up to get you into Minato’s office without rousing suspicion. After receiving your orders, your team scattered while you stayed behind, returning a serious look to Minato which confirmed that something was undoubtedly occurring behind the scenes.

Minato summoned you to his office under false pretenses to ask you to provide sensitive intel – regarding the Uchiha clan.

When you stopped Obito from being crushed all those years ago, you simultaneously prevented the Nine-Tails from being released into the village. You knew that the Nine-Tails was controlled by the Sharingan, which caused fierce distrust between the Uchiha clan and the rest of the village after the incident. This boiling hatred is why the Uchiha were planning an uprising and consequentially lead Itachi to massacre his clan to prevent civil war. You thought that because of what you did, the village avoided that entire catastrophe - that is until you met with the Fourth Hokage that morning.

There was still great tension among the Uchiha clan – an ancient hatred that’s spanned since long before the Hidden Leaf was established. This hatred has only expanded over time, and Minato was beginning to catch on to it. With few options, he knew that he could turn to you for potentially valuable knowledge with your ‘foresight’. You decided that now was the right time to reveal to him the secrets of the Uchiha clan.

It turns out that you didn’t completely prevent a massacre or uprising, you only rearranged when it will occur.

Minato broke the news after you explained everything you knew about the events that led up to the original clan downfall. He was shocked to learn that the clan had planned to overthrow the Hidden Leaf if not for the village’s Uchiha execution orders, but even now, there is still too much apprehension between the village and Uchiha clan. You inhaled a quick gasp from realizing that Obito could be under threat of his clan’s influence, if he wasn’t already. If this isn’t stopped, another massacre is likely to take place – leaving only two Uchiha alive, and Obito _isn’t_ one of them.

You were to return the next day to discuss possible alternatives to genocide, but a man with the Uchiha emblem on his sleeves stopped you with urgent orders from the Hokage to report to the village gates to leave for the Land of Lightning immediately. It’s been weeks, but you still need to rendezvous with the Hokage about the Uchiha Clan. You can’t wait any longer. Who knows when the massacre will happen!

As you jerked your upper body up in your hospital bed in stark realization, clutching your bandaged chest from the sting of your wound caused by the sudden movements, you then decided that you needed answers. _Now._

 

* * *

 

You knocked on the door to your best friend’s house that night. Obito had plans to visit you at the hospital the next morning but you just couldn’t wait. It took all the strength you had to drag yourself across the village to his house, but this was urgent. A deep hole in your chest wouldn’t stop you from reaching your goal. You hoped that your knocks wouldn’t wake his grandmother when the door slid open, revealing the young Uchiha as his entire face lit up from seeing you.

“(y/n)! Those nurses let you go early? Seems a little late for discharges, though. What’s up?”

Obito caught on to your anxious expression that told him that you weren’t supposed to be out here and he quickly ushered you inside.

The two of you sat on Obito’s bed sitting across from each other with your legs crisscrossed as you tried to collect your thoughts and organize what you wanted to discuss with him.

“What’s going on?” Obito asked in a mild tone, trying not to disturb his sleeping grandmother.

“Obito, we need to talk,” you began, Obito’s cheeks flushed at all the different implications behind your words.

“Your clan… do they… ever get together and… do anything?” You already knew that they do, but you wanted to hear an Uchiha’s side on the matter.

Obito’s eyes closed and he tilted his head nonchalantly, his eyebrows slightly creased in annoyance. “Yeah, ever since I became a Chunin, people from my clan have been bugging me to go to these dumb meet-“ Obito cut himself off, but you already knew why. The Uchiha are to keep those meetings secret, but you already relayed to the Fourth Hokage that the clan periodically group up to discuss political matters, including their growing disdain for the village. You knew a great deal about the Uchiha, but not everything. You needed Obito to share more with you.

“You need to tell me what’s been going on at those meetings. Anything is helpful.”

_Could you have been any **less** subtle, (y/n)?!_

Obito blinked at you in surprise that you knew about the clan meetups, but his expression soon switched to troubled contemplation. “I’m not supposed to say; the things they say there aren’t allowed to spread to people outside the clan, that’s what they tell me, anyway.” He states begrudgingly as his eyesight focused on the wall.

“Obito. _Please.”_ Your soft plea caught Obito’s attention as you looked up at him with genuine distress in your eyes. You weren’t being manipulative. Obito saw real urgency on your face. _Your beautiful face,_ he thought as he finally succumbed to your benevolent request.

“Well, I’ll admit that I don’t go to too many of those meetings anymore. I guess the higher-ups sort of lost track of me and stopped caring if I showed up. It’s ‘cause they think I’m one of the weakest in the clan… so what good would I be there?” Obito asked rhetorically as his voice slightly raised in resentment, his face lowered with his fists trembling as they tightened to where the bones in his knuckles were clearly visible.

“Hey,” your gentle hands softly enveloped his tense ones as you directed his attention back to your face. “You and I both know that’s not true. Especially since you have the strongest willpower anyone’s _ever_ seen. Our brush with Madara is proof, and as your witness, I’ll back you up if anyone thinks to give you any trouble! Besides, if anyone says that about you, you can just burn their house down. That doesn’t sound weak to me!”

Obito’s eyes lit up with such delight at your answer; you couldn’t help but return his happiness as you leaned in and planted a sweet kiss to Obito’s cheek, prompting the Uchiha to tense in surprise; the scorching heat from his cheek almost seemed to burn your lips.

You elusively inhaled a swift breath in alarm over what you had just done as a matching blush effortlessly forced its way onto your cheeks as well. You quickly diverged the conversation before an uncomfortable silence could develop.

“So, about the meetings you did go to… did they ever talk about anything, well, scandalous?”

Obito’s confused face flustered you.

“Or maybe anything suspicious? Anything that would put the village at risk?”

_Smooth, (y/n)._

“Where did this even come from? There’s something going on with you that you aren’t telling me, isn’t there?”

Your heart sped up at Obito’s continuously impressive deduction skills. “N-No, Obito! I mean, my best friend’s in the famous Uchiha clan, it’s only normal to want to learn more about them!”

Obito shot you a quiet and stern glare before he closed his eyes. He took a deep, slow breath then snapped them open to reveal his Mangekyou Sharingan and studied you intently.

“O-Obito, what are you-“

“You’re lying to me.”

“What? What makes you think that?”

“I see it in your heartbeat.”

You were stunned. You had no idea that Obito could sense your heartrate with his new Sharingan abilities. You sighed, seeing how avoiding the truth was no longer an option.

“Obito, I’m sorry… the truth is, Minato and I have been talking about your clan, and we think they’re plotting an uprising against the village. People will die if we don’t figure something out soon.”

Obito looked almost offended by your statement, his luminous eyes scrutinizing you through the dimness of his room. “How could you think that about us? They may look down on me (y/n), but Uchiha deserve respect!” You tried shushing Obito back to an inside voice as he refused to quiet down. “You really think my entire clan would betray the village like that? Betray our comrades? Even Minato-sensei thinks that about us?” Obito’s voice lessened in intensity while dejection took its place after each question. You managed to catch a glimpse of tears pooling in his eyes from your accusations. Obito would never admit it, but he had an extremely sensitive soul. Your view on his clan cut him deeply.

“Oh, Obito… no,” you cooed, not even realizing that you reached and placed a reassuring grip on Obito’s thigh since your focus was on trying to get him to understand you. “Uchihas are something so special. If I’m honest, I’m actually kind of jealous that I’m not one.”

Obito’s face softened as the images of the Uchiha symbol etched in your clothing flashed through his mind again, causing a fierce blush to develop on his cheeks even as you continued speaking.

“Not all Uchiha think that way, but some do. But that’s why I’m here. I’m trying to get answers so I can _save_ the Uchiha clan. Minato-sensei and I think they’re in danger and we want to help them. You guys are our comrades, after all.”

Obito’s eyes widened, his eyebrows raising in a soft realization that you truly do care for the wellbeing of the Uchiha clan. He felt a little guilty; Obito knew better than to doubt your intentions.

“We need your help, Obito. Please tell me everything you know about your clan.”

You and Obito spent the remainder of the night discussing his clan in detail. True to his word, Obito didn’t know much about the subjects discussed at the Uchiha meetings, but his insider intel was enough for you to return to the Fourth Hokage with confidence the next day.

Unbeknownst to the both of you, ominous eyes watched your talk from afar, their grip on a nearby railing tightened in vexation until the metal rod bent under the immense pressure.

 

* * *

 

“So that pretty much covers all I’ve heard from them.”

“Really? So some Uchihas think they’re better than every other clan? That doesn’t surprise me – the Sharingan really is something to be reckoned with.”

“Yeah, but from what I hear these guys take that idea to the next level. It’s as if they obsess over it – like nobody else matters to them but our clan. They act like nothing can get in their way – not even the village. I heard one of them say that once.”

_Those must be the Uchiha who run the clan meetings, no doubt about it._

The conversation then began to die, and you found yourself hunching over with your elbow resting on your thigh and hand propping your chin up as you stared at your best friend with such an intrigue over his clan. You leisurely shifted your posture only for an unexpected pang to fill your torso followed by a sharp yelp to leave your throat, alarming Obito into advancing on his knees from his spot on the bed over to you, his hands grasping your shoulders in concern.

“(y/n), what’s wrong?” Obito asked with urgency in his voice. That’s when he remembered that you had left the hospital to visit him directly. “Why would they discharge you when you aren’t fully healed yet?”

“They didn’t, Obito… I had to sneak out.”

“You need to stop doing things like that, (y/n)! You need to take it easy on yourself, remember?”

“I couldn’t help it. I… really wanted to see you.”

At that, Obito’s grip on your shoulders subconsciously grasped tighter, the blush on his face was in the back of his mind as flustered nerves dominated Obito’s senses.

You were surprised when Obito said his clan viewed him as one of the weaker ones - sometimes it seems like he doesn’t even know his own strength since his strained grip on your bad shoulder sent jolts of pain down your arm. Soon, it became too much for you to bear.

“Could you… please be careful when you touch there, Obito? My shoulder hasn’t healed quite right, either.”

Obito had been so preoccupied with the wound on your chest that he totally overlooked the injury on your shoulder. His grip on them eased considerably, and then his hands brushed down to your elbows, absentmindedly stroking your upper arms downward along the way before his fingers clutched you again in distress.

“We need to get you back to the hospital right now,” Obito stated with a strained voice. He was midway from standing up before your soft voice froze Obito where he stood.

“Wait, Obito – the Hokage’s office is closer to your house than it is to the hospital. I need to be there early tomorrow. Do you think I could, you know, spend the night here? For old time’s sake?”

Sleepovers at Obito’s house used to be the norm for you two, but between busy schedules and other duties it had been a while since the two of you slept under the familiarity of Obito’s home.

You could barely see Obito’s face in the dark, but you could tell from his expression that he was hesitating because of your condition, but he ultimately gave in. He couldn’t say no to your face.

Pleased, you rested your head on Obito’s pillow and laid down on your back – the best position to keep the wound on your chest undisturbed. Taking Obito’s spot on his bed surprised him; you always stayed in the spare room. Immediately, you caught on to his awkward uncertainty.

“Sorry, I know this spot’s yours. I just,” You inhaled deeply to try to drown out the pain of your injury. “-need to rest for a second. Until then…” You patted the spot next to you, a gesture to signal Obito to come lay down beside you. He nervously complied and mirrored your positioning on his back, the both of you staring up at his ceiling as if the stars were visible from the inside of his room.

“….”

“You positive that you don’t need to get back to your hospital room?” Obito asked in a gentle whisper, clearly still worried about you.

“Are you trying to tell me that you want me out of your bed?”

“N-no, no! Nothing like that! I’m just, kind of… tense, I guess,” Obito was more than just a little tense. He was downright nervous, but he wasn’t sure if he was more nervous about your injury, or more nervous about sharing his bed with you.

“Really? Tense about what?”

“You know,” he avoided your direction while gesturing around the professional bandaging on your chest.

You chuckled. “Who needs those silly nurses anyway, when I have you?”

The positioning of Obito’s head stuck to facing the ceiling out of anxiousness, but his dark eyes still attempted to shift in your general direction while the arms resting at his sides grew tense.

“If I somehow reopened my wound, I could just get you to use your ‘extraordinary’ bandaging skills again and I’ll be good as new!” You absentmindedly stated in a joking manner.

Obito remained silent, trying to keep his composure but the excessive sweat pouring off him indicated that he was failing, hard.

“But maybe we’ll have more wrapping this time around – if there were a next time, I mean,” you added, realizing now how awkward this conversation must be for him. “Not saying there will be, hopefully.”

Obito almost lost it. Thinking about what he did for you in the tent – what he saw, and the intimate action that followed soon after proved too much for him to handle. The air around Obito became stifling from the thick tension surrounding him.

You didn’t notice this, however. You interpreted the silence as rather comforting. Being around your best friend always brought you inner peace.

“I know I thanked you for it already, but I really want you to know how grateful I am to you, Obito.” You voiced peacefully, your hand sliding from your stomach down to your side where it brushed against Obito’s before you slowly and wordlessly laced your fingers with his.

That’s when you noticed the immense amount of sweat painting his hand, prompting you to turn your head to Obito, his line of sight stubbornly glued to the ceiling above.

“Obito… are you… am I… making you… uncomfortable?” Hurt was evident in your voice. Obito always made you feel so secure – only for you to be a source of stress for him. At that thought, the intertwining of your fingers reluctantly began to unravel.

Obito’s mind was blank – short-circuited by the thought and touch of you, until the sense of the lessening grip around his fingers snapped him back to reality.

“Wait! No, (y/n), you’re not. You make me anything but uncomfortable,” he muttered while sheepishly guiding your hand back to couple with his.

Feeling the warmth of your fingers interconnected with his brought a profound sense of security and tranquility upon him. Only when he felt that emptiness of your touch leaving him did Obito discover that he needed this.

Silence struck the room again. With the tension lessening, you and Obito couldn’t help but allow your heads to ease into the same pillow, exhaustion conquering your once uneasy mind.

In the midst in savoring the calming atmosphere beside his best friend, Obito’s mind began wandering to the last time they spent the night together. It was that morning when Obito experienced the feel of his first kiss. The discordant emotions coursing through him while sharing that tender moment with you was inexpressible. Obito’s nerves prompted the kiss to be uncoordinated and rather sloppy. He cursed at himself for being such a fumbling mess when it came to you. Not to mention the brief moment of horror that had gripped him when Kakashi saw what he hoped to be a private, intimate moment with you. The mortified look on Kakashi's face still haunts Obito. Still, Obito found himself daydreaming about that morning, and even though it was plastered with awkwardness, he still felt the remnants of your touch on his cheek and lips, a touch that soothed him in a way that only yours could…

Eventually, you heard the sound of steady, relaxed breathing from the Uchiha lying next to you. You kept him up so late that the glowing sunrise began to peek through Obito’s window, enough for you to glance in his direction and see his face in deep relaxation as he succumbed to sleep, your hand still connected with his. You weren’t expecting Obito to fall asleep so soon. You were about to hoist your exerted body up discreetly as to not disturb Obito and lay down in the guest room, until he tossed over, furling his free arm across your stomach to fasten tautly onto your waist while Obito’s leg swaddled over yours, latching himself entirely onto you in his sleep-induced state. Obito would never admit it, but oftentimes he’d doze off with his pillow huddled at his side with a secure grip around it to simulate the feel of your body, much like how he is clasping at you now. It was such a comforting sentiment to him, but developing such a habit has its consequences; Obito would surely faint from blushing if he learned of how his subconscious joyously allowed intimate contact and carnal attachment to you without hesitation.

 _Oh my god,_ was all your mind could process upon Obito’s unintentional embrace. It was your turn to become flustered.

_Relax, (y/n). Relax! Obito’s just sleeping. He doesn’t mean to do this… but… I kind of wish he did._

Obito’s body began to feel chilly, and you were rather frigid yourself. You took advantage of the miniscule wiggle room and used your foot to hook the clumsily folded blanket perched at the edge of his bed to your free hand to drape it snugly over both your bodies. Afterwards, your free arm hovered in place, contemplating where its next destination should be. You were unable to resist the urge to caress your palm gently across Obito’s unscarred cheek before running your fingers through his dark, spiky hair. You were pleasantly surprised when Obito’s body responded with a deeper inhale of air followed by a subtle, comforting squeeze to your waist that pressed you tightly against him, as if he were soothed by your touch. You didn’t dare move.

 _If Obito wakes up and sees us like this, he’d be a panicking, discomposed mess._ You exhaled through your nose in modest amusement. _Still, I don’t want him distressed. I should really try to get up –_

He abruptly pressed his face against yours and began nuzzling into your cheek in a lethargic but tender manner.

_…maybe I could stay for just a few more minutes._

Allowing Obito to fall asleep first left you alone with your thoughts. When you came to this world, you never imagined that you would be sharing a bed with your crush – no, scratch that. He was more than your crush. You love Obito, and if the kiss you two shared previously was any indication, Obito has deep feelings for you, too. When your lips made contact that morning, you were sure that Obito requited that rapturous sentiment – but you still found it too hard to believe. To think that you stood even a chance against someone like Rin while you battled with her for Obito’s affection – and won. It felt as if you were coiling into a cocoon and reliving your most desired reality in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Still, the two of you made no moves to confirm your feelings as official. You were nervous to, just in case this truly was just some cruel dream that you would be waking up from soon. Doubt soon filled your mind about what you should do about your best friend. You were so terrified of your heart shattering – a fear you’ve dragged along with you ever since you met Obito.

Then, you peeked at his face one more time. Instantly your worries and doubts felt as if they were melting away, dissolving and leaving no traces of being on your mind the longer you gazed into Obito’s unwound but masculine face. It was then you decided that if the Uchiha Clan situation clears without issue, you will make your move. You will make it your goal to explicitly declare that you are in love with Obito Uchiha, – or you will at least try. Maybe. If you don’t chicken out first.

 _No. Don’t think like that, (y/n), you can do it!_ You looked to your slumbering best friend again for extra reassurance.

This is a serious decision – an action that you plead will end with the transitioning of being in love with your best friend, to being in love with your boyfriend.

Satisfied with your resolution, you squeezed Obito’s limp hand while shuffling even closer to his slumbering form. Your head tilted toward him and your forehead made gentle contact with his – your noses brushing together so subtly that it tickled. You had to leave soon to converge with Minato, but Obito’s vulnerable expression and position combined with the intoxicating scent of your life-long friend convinced you to stay for just a bit longer.


	21. The Uchiha Clan

You steadily made your way to the Hokage’s office that following morning to confer with Minato about potential plans for the Uchiha Clan since the unexpected Cloud mission prevented you from meeting with him a second time. You also noted to ask Minato why he chose _you_ for that mission despite the terrible elemental matchup – _he must have had something in mind_ , you hoped. It was painful to imagine that Minato would assign you a dangerous mission with malicious intent.

_No way. Not him._

You also wanted to inquire about the shinobi who delivered the message to you. It felt suspicious that a member of the prestigious Uchiha Clan would be tasked with something as basic as messenger duty.

_Come to think of it, the village has always used birds as messengers, not people._

He had also informed you that Obito’s team was to be present on the mission to the Land of Lightning, which stopped you from questioning that man’s authority in favor of catching up to your best friend instead. You wondered only afterwards, why that man even bothered telling you that Obito was going – it now felt as though he were trying to coerce you into going, which wouldn’t have been necessary if it was a true order from Minato.

_I need to inform Minato about this right away!_

During your walk, you became aware of Obito’s scent, how it shrouded you in a thick coat and clung stubbornly to your skin from nestling close to him last night. If an expert sensory type ninja passes you by, they could effortlessly detect substantial traces of Obito’s chakra along your body, especially around your face. You blushed, hoping that Minato won’t notice the distinct, masculine smell and chakra signature of an Uchiha as it shamelessly mounted and conquered your features.

As you bested through the busy crowd, your hand shielded the sore injury on your chest in case a distracted villager stumbled into you hard enough to open your wound. Obito would have accompanied you to make sure you made it to the office safely, but you had kept him up most of the night. You felt terrible for being the source of his lack of sleep, so you opted to let him sleep in and make the trip yourself. You couldn’t wait any longer to see Minato anyway.

A moment later, a villager did bump into you, and you caught sight of the Uchiha crest on their clothing just before they pushed you _seemingly_ by accident. The bump was unexpectedly forceful, however; it caught you off guard and you stumbled into a nearby alleyway. Rough hands grasped you before you could steady yourself and you instantly met with threatening, dark, red eyes as they made invasive contact with yours.

_The… Sharingan?_

The surroundings around those vicious eyes suddenly began to sway and blend and your body soon fell deep into paralysis.

_Genjutsu…? No… Oh no…! R-relea…se… h-help…_

You kept your consciousness as the mysterious figure followed you through the cloud of civilians surrounding you. To your horror, you found that you had no control over your actions as you blankly stared ahead, your legs unwillingly continued to walk forward to wherever your kidnapper pleased. You tried so hard to cry for help, only to find that you were unable to lift even your tongue.

_This… is a mind control ability of the Sharingan… but that means…_

You watched your feet lead you to the Uchiha shrine, the one that you recognize held the same meetings you inquired about with Obito only a few hours before. The figure bound your wrists and tossed you against the hard wall, immediately snapping you out of the genjutsu from the harsh stinging in your back from the impact. You let out a labored gasp, taking control of your breathing again while you glanced up at the man with a pleading look on your face.

“Now don’t give me that look. You’ll be the source of my loss of sleep tonight if you keep that up.” He says neutrally, his piercing red eyes are the only things you can make out from the shadows.

_Wait… I know that voice…!_

“You… you’re that guy…”

Red eyes continued to stare you down in the darkness.

“The Uchiha… who told me about the mission to the Land of Lightning!”

You watched the pair of eyes squint before he stepped closer to you, the flames on the wall finally illuminating his features – dark, wavy, shoulder length hair, woeful black eyes with stress lines to compliment them - it truly was the Uchiha who relayed the Hokage’s orders to you that day.

“I’ll offer pity and grant you the liberty to know that my name is Kusuo Uchiha. I’m inclined to assume that you are wondering why you’ve been brought here.”

You stayed silent for a moment, your eyes narrowed fiercely in belligerent opposition for the Uchiha standing over you. You had a decent guess to why: he somehow got wind of your extraordinary knowledge on the Uchiha clan, including the plans for a coup d'état.

“I’d rather know how you found out about me.” You stated simply, and surprisingly the Uchiha understood immediately.

“A virtue that is bestowed on any good shinobi is their excellent sleuthing skills. If they want intel, they should be able to acquire it.”

“When did you –“

“Your initial ‘talk’ with the Fourth Hokage. We know about everything you told him.”

_We…?_

“Your chat with your Uchiha boy has been recorded as well. Is that how you managed to acquire the secrets of our clan? Who would have guessed that the weakling of the clan would turn out to be a rat? We’ll need to terminate him for his insubordination.”

Your eyebrows instantly creased with hostility. “He has nothing to do with this! I won’t let you lay a single finger on him, understand?!” You were too furious to be surprised by your uncharacteristic demeanor, but you’ve gone through too much to fail Obito now.

The Uchiha was unamused by your threat. Instead, he remained silent, distracted by the tenuous residue of Uchiha chakra discharging off your body. The aspect of Obito being so close to someone outside of the clan sickened Kusuo. “Disgusting,” he mumbled under his breath at the brazen display that suggested potential mixing and tarnishing of the Uchiha bloodline. The village permitting the Uchiha to marry into and out of differing clans and bearing ‘impure’ young was a disgrace, Kusuo thought. His extremist and dogmatic views only amplified his resolve to proceed with his plans and halt your meddling at all costs.   

“Don’t you comprehend the situation you yourself are in? I hope you’ve figured out by now that you aren’t getting out of this like you did in the Land of Lightning.”

_Wait, what?_

“How did you know that I… almost didn’t make it…?”

“Because, you ignorant girl, **I** was the one who assembled the plan to get you _killed_ in that mission!”

“Wh-what…?”

“I was in control of the Hidden Cloud shinobi who commenced the first strike at the standoff border. I manipulated him with a genjutsu to see an enemy who wasn’t truly there. The attack aimed directly at you, but you unexpectedly repositioned elsewhere and lived, despite my careful planning. If you are still too dense to understand, **I** fabricated the message from the Hokage instructing you to aid them.”

Your eyes widened with pure shock. You opened your mouth to speak, but absolutely no words passed through your lips. You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. This seemingly helpful man passed along a message to you from the Fourth Hokage that turned out to be fake so he could lure you away from the village and inconspicuously carry out your death. Thus, you would no longer be a threat to the Uchiha uprising.

“My only regret is that I wasn’t able to stop you before your first meeting with the Hokage. Now the entire Uchiha clan is in imminent danger because of **you!** ”

“Because of me?? Do you realize what **you** did? The Cloud Village _hates_ us now! Do you know how many shinobi needlessly _died_ on that mission because of what you did?! **I** was the one trying to _stop_ the clan’s fighting! Minato needed to know so he can sort things out with –“

“ **Enough!”**

“Did you not think through the implications of spilling ancient Uchiha secrets to the village’s commander?! With the clan’s secrets revealed, now the village will harbor greater disdain for our clan! They will carry out orders for the immediate eradication of the Uchiha! **This clan will go extinct because of what you did**!”

The sharp gasp you took awakened the stinging twinge in your chest; you were unable to comprehend the meaning behind Kusuo’s assertions.

_No. The Uchiha were already in danger… that’s why Minato summoned me that day. I thought that he already figured it out!_

_Wait…_

_He told me he’s had suspicions that something was going on, that’s it. I was the one who told him everything about the Uchiha’s plans. If the village elders find out about this… they will slaughter the clan!_

“You see?! I _have_ to kill you so you don’t cause any more damage than you already have! It’s likely too late for us, anyway. We are planning an ambush on the village far ahead of what was originally planned, before they can to us, in order to protect our clan.”

_No. It can’t be true. It was me who put the clan and village at risk? Who put Obito at risk? Should I really have told Minato? He wouldn’t let the massacre happen… right? I need to ask him…! I need to get out of here…!_

Kusuo watched your facial expressions that clearly indicated that you were looking desperately for any escape. “As I said, I can’t allow you to leave. Not after what you did.” Kusuo stated and he began to walk toward you, your heartrate accelerating as he inched closer to you.

The room around you appeared to slow down as Kusuo waltzed nearer, grabbing hold of the katana he had sheathed at his side. His steps seemed to grow slower, even the flames illuminating the room appeared to be crackling at a painfully sluggish pace. Soon, the pressure in your chest and in your mind proved to be too much to handle.

“ **NO!”** You closed your eyes and shrieked, allowing your body’s fight response to take over and whirled around and sent a darting kick into his gut, sending Kusuo flying to the opposite wall, knocking down one of the mounted torches, which landed on his cloak before setting it ablaze. Despite the surprise and alarm, Kusuo succeeded in removing the material before he angrily chucked it toward you. He watched with intrigue as the smoldering robe created excess amounts of smoke that quickly began to fill the small and enclosed space around you.

“You know what? This method is cleaner. All that is required of me is that I turn a blind eye.” Kusuo announced calmly before leaving the chamber and barricading the exit, the smoke continuing to engulf the tight space around you.

Breaths passed through you agonizingly quickly before you realized that you had begun to hyperventilate from your dire situation. You managed to scramble to your feet and try to put out the flames, but your frantic kicking only made them stronger. Next, you opted to charge for the door, ignoring the smothering sting of the smoke clouding your vision. All the chakra in your body collected into your good shoulder and you charged the door only to bounce back violently, sending a harrowing pain through your arm and chest. You swore at yourself for focusing so much on support and neglecting your physical training since you couldn’t even bust a simple door down.

“No.” You pound at the door with your shoulder again.

“No!” You slam into it again.

“No. No. No. No! No! NO!” Hammering against the door repeatedly proved ineffective and you finally gave in and slouched against its frame, the arm leaning against it became tender and raw; a hot liquid spread across your chest from your wound ripping open due to your excessive use of force.

You couldn’t even cry at this point; the intense dryness in the smoggy air made it impossible to form tears. Soon you let your body drop to the floor as you laid on your side and held onto your legs. Your nose pressed against the floor as you puffed desperately to inhale any remnants of clean air that remained below the pervading smolder. There was nothing more you could do.

Suddenly, you heard commotion just outside the door. Your eyes snapped open only to immediately shut when a searing cloud of smoke invaded your vision. Not long after, panicked thrashing from the opposite side of the door met your ears but your mind refused to register it. All you could focus on was your instincts telling you that you are going to die. The striking stopped for a moment before the door smashed apart with such force that bits of wood violently rocketed into the opposite wall. A shadowy form was over yours in an instant and you turned onto your back to catch a glimpse of your savior. Obito crouched over you, the goggles over his eyes allowed him to inspect you frantically through the suffocating smoke. He stared down at you with such concern until a figure with glowing red eyes emerged behind him, causing a gargled screech to leave your throat in a desperate attempt at a warning. Obito turned around in time to watch Kusuo lower his blade down onto him in what felt like slow motion and he swiftly pulled a kunai out and placed it over his head to defend himself, only for Kusuo’s katana to meet with a larger, unusual looking kunai instead. In less than a flash, Minato stood over the both of you as he deflected the attack with one hand while simultaneously charging a powerful blue aura with the other. Before Kusuo could even blink, the mighty Rasengan made full contact with his gut and it violently launched him into the opposite wall near the regal temple entrance. Not even the Sharingan is able to react to Minato’s lightning-fast movements. Kusuo’s back peeled off the ornamental panel and collapsed to his hands and knees right as two figures instantly appeared on either side of him, each snatching one of his arms to prevent escape.

“Kusuo.” Minato announced, unsentimentally riddled his tone; his tall figure stood over Kusuo as he slouched against the two smaller shinobi restraining him. “I intentionally avoided any vital spots so you can be brought in for interrogation. Shisui, Itachi, escort Kusuo to his holding chamber, and I will join him shortly,” Minato concluded with a particular gentleness in his voice as he turned his head in the direction of Obito, who was firmly slapping your back to purge the smoke in your lungs.

Before they left, Kusuo peered up at the two Uchiha retraining him with pure contempt overtaking his features. “You two dare choose to side with the village over your own clan?! You are Uchiha! This is treason! Your father will be furious when he learns about your betrayal, Itachi-!” At that, Itachi’s young face scrunched up in displeasure before they vanished as quickly as they appeared, taking Kusuo with them.

The sudden intake of clean air burned your impossibly dry lungs; the hoarse coughs that explosively exited your body tortured your throat and chest and your weary eyes fixated on the dark flooring until a pair of feet obscured your view of the ornate wooden design in front of you. Glancing up revealed the Fourth Hokage, his face furrowed with liability and concern as he quietly peered down at you. His weight rested on one knee when he kneeled in front of you, one hand settling on your shoulder to offer as solace.

Obito’s words laced with venom as he used his sleeve like a rag to clean the dusty ash from your skin with his thumb, “Tell me what he did to you, (y/n). He won’t ever touch you again; I’ll make sure of that!”

“Let her breathe, Obito.” Minato finally spoke. “Inhaling that amount of smoke can be lethal, but you escaped just in time.” Minato cracked a small reassuring smile that disappeared almost immediately after witnessing a dark red liquid expand across your chest from reopening your wound.

“Obito, carry (y/n). We’re heading to the hospital.”

“You’re coming with us, Minato-sensei?”

Minato nodded. “I’d like to have a discussion with you before I leave, (y/n).”   

 

* * *

 

The familiar surroundings of the hospital room filled you with dread knowing that you’d have to stay here longer than what was originally intended. Obito refused to leave your side; there was a clear outline around his eyes from where his goggles shielded them from the smoke while the rest of his face layered in soot. He only left reluctantly when Minato ordered him to wash his face, giving the two of you ample time to speak in private.

“M-Minato-sensei,” your voice was strained and hoarse, “I hope what I told you didn’t cause too much trouble. I think I really messed up. Kusuo told me that the Uchiha will all die because of what I told you. I didn’t mean to… I don’t want them to –“

“It’s good that you told me about their plans when you did, (y/n). Informing me early on about the Uchiha’s growing hatred for the village allows some time for resolution before everything boils over. You did the right thing,” Minato broke eye contact with you to think over his next words carefully.

“Still,” he began with a sympathetic gleam in his strikingly blue eyes. “I should never have placed so much responsibility on you by requesting sensitive intel without any prior screening of our surroundings. It was wrong of me to ask for such confidential information that would compromise your wellbeing when Kusuo had discreetly breached the office’s security.”

“(y/n). As your Hokage, I apologize for my blatant disregard for your safety - and as your friend, I am deeply sorry for putting your life at risk,” Minato announced softly, catching you off guard with a sincere bow.

Seeing the Hokage himself asking you for forgiveness filled you with a strange content and you happily accepted his apology.     

“But Minato-sensei, Kusuo told me that the Uchiha clan is planning a counterattack on the village soon. What are we going to do?”

“That won’t happen, (y/n). I won’t allow it.”

“Are you going to stop it by… approving a massacre on the clan…?” You were terrified of his potential response.

Minato’s stern look told you the answer. “Under absolutely no circumstances will I authorize a betrayal on our comrades. I’ve been formulating plans to resolve the tension among the clan that I’ve wanted to discuss with you, however, you didn’t return to my office that following day.”

_That’s right!_

“Minato-sensei! I need to tell you that Kusuo was the one who manipulated the Hidden Cloud shinobi to attack us! He also sent me a fake message posing as you, ordering me to tag along on the mission that day so I wouldn’t see you. It was all because of him!”

Minato’s eyes widened for a moment before they relaxed, compassion overtaking his features.

“Shinobi of The Hidden Cloud specialize in Lightning Style, I would never have authorized you to confront an enemy with such a significant disadvantage on your part.”

_I knew it. I knew Minato-sensei would never have bad intentions!_

“Do you think we can work things out with the Hidden Cloud now?”

“It’s certainly a possibility, if we can persuade Kusuo to admit his involvement. But for now, my priority is with the Uchiha clan –“

Two shadows then emerged into your room in a swift blur, startling you into alertness until you recognized the two small figures.

_Itachi and Shisui!_

The two Uchiha kneeled in front of you and the Hokage as the puff of smoke dissipated, both their heads solemnly bowed to you. “Please. Forgive our clan for the disturbance they caused to our village, and to you,” Shisui’s young voice pleaded. “We can assure you, not all Uchiha believe in what Kusuo does. We want to take full responsibility for what he has done, and please listen to our request: Itachi and I want to make amends among the village and the clan, but we need your help, Lord Hokage.”

You stared at them with awe. Itachi couldn’t have been older than 10 years old and Shisui looked about 13, yet they already have so much weight on their shoulders, even after your vast impact on this world.

“Thank you for your involvement in seizing Kusuo, Itachi. Shisui. From the information I’ve gathered, there seems to be a flagrant misunderstanding between the Uchiha clan and the village. I will conduct a formal assembly with Fugaku - the leader of the Uchiha, and resolve this tension immediately.” Minato announced as he stood over the Uchiha boys.

Immense relief washed over you at the news.

“Until then,” Minato started in a friendlier tone as he turned to you. “Make sure you get some rest, (y/n), and _stay_ rested,” he winked before the three of them disappeared in a flash.

A comfortable silence finally resonated within you for the first time in what felt like forever. So much has happened within the last 24 hours – you needed some time alone to let it all soak in, you thought. That is until your door swung back open and your best friend charged inside, seemingly out of breath.

“H-hey! Where’s Minato-sensei?”

“Oh you know… the Hokage life’s a busy one.”

_You have no idea just how busy, Obito, but you’ll find out one day._

“By the way, what took you so long? There’s no way it took that long just to wash your face.”

Obito’s face lit up in surprise, the lollipop he had in his mouth almost lodging in his throat. “Oh, well, I had a ton of dirt on my face you see, more than I was expecting,” Obito insisted as he eagerly took a seat next to you.

You stared at Obito, not believing him for a second.

“Also I… got this for you,” he added quietly, meekly handing you an identical lollipop that happened to be your favorite flavor.

“You got these from helping out that old lady next door, didn’t you?” You casually remarked as you peeled off its wrapping similar to how you were peeling away Obito’s composure.

“She was the one who asked for my help, okay! I wasn’t just going to leave her there and crush her dreams!”

You laughed as hard as you could without disturbing your wound while Obito’s defenses lowered and he nervously returned your smile, his hand reaching to scratch the back of his neck over your reaction.

“There’s… one more thing I wanted to give you,” he noted in a rather serious tone that caught your attention, and he discarded the small sugar stick from his mouth. “Could you close your eyes, just for a second…?”

You played along and did as he asked. There was an awkward pause where nothing happened, as if he were reluctant and reconsidering his request, until you finally heard a quick shift arise from his direction. You then perceived a gentle pressure of warm skin against your forehead, shocking you into fluttering your eyes open to see Obito’s chest while he leaned forward to kiss your forehead with such tenderness that it sent a warm blooming feeling throughout your body.

Obito held himself there for a while before retreating into his seat; his slightly upturned eyebrows, doting smile and bright pink flush on his cheeks clearly indicated the extent of his fondness for you. When you looked closely into his eyes, you spotted signs of relief within them.

“I’m glad I caught you in time back there. You really need to stop scaring me like that,” Obito mentioned while you discreetly wiped the moist remnants of his kiss off your forehead. “I should start keeping tabs on you since you insist on always getting into trouble.”

You laughed at Obito’s playful comment, but inside it made you finally grasp that you will always be a target for enemy ninja due to your ‘gift’ of extraordinary insider knowledge of people and villages. That’s a serious setback for possessing so much valuable intel, you realized.

“What’d that guy want with you, anyway? And tell me the truth,” he concluded with a particular weight to his tone, signifying that you should take him seriously.

“Basically, that Kusuo guy… wanted to use the clan to… take out the rest of the village. That’s why I needed to talk to you last night. It’s shinobi like him who give Uchiha a bad name with other villagers. He saw me as a threat for… what I knew about the clan.”

It took a moment for Obito to comprehend Kusuo’s shameful misuse of his own clan, and the unthinkable notion of someone trying to dispose of you as if you were crippling evidence. Perhaps he shouldn’t have told you what he knew last night if it meant putting you in danger, but your charming eyes and caring soul made it absurdly difficult for him to keep things from you. You watched the anger begin to boil up inside Obito over Kusuo’s attempt to take that beauty away from him - you had to think of something to get his mind off it.

“Hey, how’d you know where to find me? Kusuo had me hidden away in that temple, there’s no way you could’ve just stumbled in.”

“Uh, well, why couldn’t I? It’s a temple for Uchiha, I could’ve had business there for all you know!”

You chuckled at Obito’s weak defense, but you decided to let it go; you were sure he had his reasons for showing up when he did.

Obito wouldn’t tell you, but he’d been keeping a close eye on you for a while now. He had developed impressive capabilities as a sensory type ninja, and his new Sharingan abilities strengthened his chakra detection skills. He used this power to be acutely aware of your location at most times, just in case you are ever in any danger. He had awoken with a jolt to the sense that you were deep inside the Uchiha temple, which is odd enough, but your consistent and normally stable chakra levels had disrupted to a staggering degree. Realizing this, Obito dashed to your location as fast as he could. It wasn’t until he was in the hospital room with you did he sense that your body was plastered with copious amounts of his own chakra as it absorbed into your skin, prompting the Uchiha’s cheeks to bloom in a shade of pink over pondering how so much had managed to latch onto you.

“I’m surprised that you managed to bring Minato-sensei to the temple, though. He’s super busy all the time, how’d you convince him to go with you?”

“I… didn’t go see him.”

“Wait, seriously? Then how did he…?”

“I couldn’t tell ya… we just got lucky there,” Obito remarked while his hand subconsciously rubbed a spot on his back – where unbeknownst to him, the Fourth Hokage’s teleportation seal lied permanently in his skin, hidden away within the confines of his clothing.

 

* * *

 

Two masculine hands met in a cordial embrace as Minato and Fugaku Uchiha exchanged confident looks of mutual agreement after discussing affairs involving the tension between the Leaf and Uchiha Clan. Meetings among the Uchiha regarding their disdain for the village will no longer occur. With the aid of (y/n) and Minato Namikaze, peace between the two once powerful allies restored to its full strength. Kusuo Uchiha and his following of clan extremists have forcibly disbanded and will answer for their crimes of conspiracy against the village. Upon returning to his desk, Minato’s personal assistant handed him several documents finalizing the negotiation process.

“So I take it that the arrangement went well, Lord Hokage?”

Minato nodded firmly. “Kusuo initially refused to admit his involvement with the planned massacre of the village, and with the standoff with the Hidden Cloud Village, but our interrogation specialist debunked those claims in an instant. Kusuo’s memory can’t lie. After discussing his intentions with the leader of the Uchiha, Fugaku agreed that such actions are inexcusable. This hatred among the Uchiha will finally come to an end.”

Minato stated to his assistant calmly while he signed the necessary papers before packing up for the night to spend time with Kushina and his young son, Naruto.

“But Lord Hokage, we’ve been trying to track down Kusuo for so long, how did you finally seize him?”

“I’ve been keeping a close watch on a particular Uchiha, a former student of mine. I was forced to mark him with an irreversible teleportation seal in order to save his life during an advanced mission, one he wasn’t ready for. I took note when he stepped foot into the Uchiha temple, something he hadn’t done in years – immediately I sensed that something was wrong and gathered two other trustworthy Uchiha to assist me. The efforts of those four shinobi were just as important as my role in capturing Kusuo.”

Minato removed his Hokage cloak before finally stepping out of his office, his body halting midway through the doorframe.

“That’s why I’m convinced that this village is in good hands with the next generation. When my position as Hokage is passed down, I’m confident that our younger shinobi will loyally carry on this village’s legacy,” Minato declared, his mind centered on Obito and his dream to become the next Hokage.

“They will ensure continuous peace within the village."

"Perhaps this is the generation to achieve peace with other nations as well, Lord Hokage.”

Minato smirked, "Now there's a thought."


	22. The Ultimate Test

Unsteady footsteps echoed through the corridor as you eagerly crept closer and closer to the hospital’s exit. A hot gust of wind blew through your (h/c) hair once the doors opened and you let loose a triumphant sigh at knowing you were finally free from the confines of a hospital bed. The severe injury in your chest took weeks to heal, and even longer once it reopened from the malignant encounter with Kusuo Uchiha. By that time, Rin discharged from her part-time rehabilitation and cut down on missions to return to her full-time duties at the Hidden Leaf Hospital. Humorously enough, her first patient happened to be you. She waved you goodbye as you trekked to the shopping district with a particular jubilance in your steps.

_The first thing I’m doing to celebrate my newfound freedom… Ichiraku Ramen!_

Your arms swayed enthusiastically while on your quest for food, moving through countless villagers and overhearing their discussions as you passed them by – but one conversation lessened your avid skips to a halt.

“I’ve heard a lot of talk about Asuma Sarutobi. What’s been going on with him?”

“Didn’t you know? He just got promoted to a Jonin!”

“Really? He’s that good? Do you think he has what it takes to become Hokage one day?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it; he is the son of Lord Third, after all.”

The two villagers then moved out of earshot while you stood there deep in thought.

_That’s right… I’m supposed to be helping Obito become Hokage, yet he’s still only a Chunin. But what can I do for him…? Wait, I know…_

With your mind made up, you ignored the aggressive grumbling in your stomach and hastily reoriented your destination from the ramen shop to the Hokage’s office.

* * *

 

“Please, Minato-sensei. As Obito’s former teacher, he needs your approval before he can become a Jonin. I think he’s more than ready for it.”

Minato’s stance seemed tense – his elbows rested on the desk, his fingers laced together and propped his chin up with his face in serious contemplation.

“(y/n). In order to qualify as a Jonin, a ninja must usually master at least two Elemental Chakra Natures, and from my understanding, Obito has mastered one.”

“Y-yeah, that’s true, b-but you also haven’t seen the new Jutsu Obito taught himself. You see, it’s called Bomb Blast Dance – it’s where-“

“(y/n),” Minato softly interjected. “I know you believe Obito is ready for the responsibility, but as his former instructor, I can’t see it that way – at least not yet. Obito is strong, but he needs more experience before I can authorize his promotion.”

You closed your mouth before you realized that you had left it slightly agape while your back impulsively stiffened as you prepared for your next point. You weren’t giving up that easily.

“I know life as a Hokage is busy, but you must have had enough time to read the report on me and Obito’s personal encounter with Madara by now, right, sensei?”

Minato stayed silent, his face remaining unreadable.

“I may have temporarily disabled the statue, but it was Obito who fended off Madara the whole time. I need to repeat, Minato-sensei – Obito stood off against _the_ Madara Uchiha, and won. If that doesn’t make him qualified to be a Jonin then I don’t know what will.”

Minato continued to glare at you quietly; you tried to maintain eye contact but eventually your vision instinctively went downcast around his desk before shifting back up to relink with his icy blue eyes. Soon, the impasse became rather awkward.

_Hold your ground, (y/n)!_

Without warning, Minato shut his eyes and the signs of a deep, slow inhale made its way to your ears. After a couple more moments, the hold on his breath released while removing his elbows from the table; a lax, defeated expression replaced his serious one, with a benevolent smile to accompany it.

“The assignment to find Madara and retrieve Rin does qualify as an A-rank or even an S-rank mission – and the two of you did complete it successfully. I suppose I have no choice but to make an exception with those credentials.”

The smile that overtook your features almost hurt from how outspread it was.

“However, I will see it that Obito is granted permission to take a special Jonin exam, to truly test his current skills and experience as a shinobi.

_Jonin exam? I heard about that once in the show, but it was never mentioned again. I figured that Chunin were just promoted once they get approval from the Hokage._

“A Jonin exam, sensei? What does he need to do to prove himself?”

“Since this is a special case, I will personally design a specific set of A-rank and S-rank level tasks for Obito to undertake, to simulate a typical mission for Jonin. If I am satisfied with his results, then I will acknowledge his growth and promote him to a Jonin,” Minato stated while he scrawled something onto a sheet of paper before handing it to you.

“Pass this along to Obito, with the message to prepare himself.”

* * *

 

Stacking the now empty bowl atop two others with an audible clunk, you sighed and leaned back on the stool with a satisfied smirk on your face. Obito simultaneously glanced in your direction with a mouthful of ramen, with part of the noodles still dangling from his mouth while he closed his eyes in delight as a response to your contentment.

Soon, your body began to tremble and you couldn’t help but let a sly snicker escape your lips, no longer able to control your excitement over what you had to tell your best friend.

“You’re that excited about finally breaking out of that place, huh? I don’t blame you. I’d have lost it if I had to stay cooped up in that hospital room for as long as you did.”

You clumsily shook your head; your eyes still squeezed shut in glee as you wordlessly slid a document across the bar to Obito.

“What’s this?”

“Read it.”

Obito’s dark eyes shifted from you to the paper in front of him, with his expression morphing from mild puzzlement to stark bewilderment almost immediately while his hands eagerly darted from his lap to grasp at the document with an insistent crumpling noise.

“(y/n)…! Is this…?!”

“Hmm-hm!” is all your throat could produce through all the exhilaration in the air.

Obito’s mouth dropped, his mind clouded with disbelief as his eyes continued to examine the Jonin application you picked up for him.

“But (y/n), I need Minato-sensei to sign this for-“ Obito’s breath caught in his throat once his scanning eyes captured a neat scribbling on the dotted line.

The Fourth Hokage’s signature.

Obito’s eyes widened before he lifted one foot and quickly levered himself out of his seat, with you gleefully standing up with him shortly after. Finally, Obito forced his gaze off that tidy stamp of approval and turned his attention entirely to you, his parted mouth instantly switching to a euphoric smile.

“(y/n)! You got… I’m a… I don’t…” he managed to mutter out while he took turns switching his attention from the paper to you. “(y/n), thank you!” Obito finished with a hearty yell and you watched him spread his arms before enveloping you into a crushing hug around your waist, knocking all the air out of your lungs. Before you could react, he promptly tightened his hold, lifted you off the ground, and spun you around with him in genuine adoration, his exuberant laugh not dying down for even a moment.

“I can’t believe you’d do this for me! How’d I get so lucky with you? I’m gonna be a Jonin?!” Obito exclaimed as he reluctantly set you down, but unconsciously kept a tight grip around your waist in exhilaration.

“Well, it wasn’t easy, but I convinced Minato-sensei to permit you to take a special Jonin exam. He didn’t tell me exactly what you have to do, but I guarantee it’s nothing you can’t handle!” You finished with both your hands unknowingly landing on Obito’s shoulders to return his joyous embrace. Things went silent a moment later when you and Obito realized how you two were holding each other before abruptly letting go when a searing heat pervaded your faces.

“…But I thought I have to master two chakra natures to become a Jonin. What’d you even say to Minato-sensei?”

“I insisted that our fight against Madara makes you more than qualified for a promotion. It’s absolutely true that you are!”

Obito’s cheerful expression unexpectedly fell, his view landing on the bar next to him while pondering something.

“Where’s your application, (y/n)?”

You blinked at Obito’s question. You hadn’t thought about yourself.

“Well… I wasn’t planning on becoming a Jonin, I guess.”

“What? (y/n), why not? You were just as important on that mission as I was. Hell, they should promote you instantly for what you did back there.”

Your hand unconsciously lifted to cover your gracious smile in modesty.

_Now that he mentions it, I was a big part of that mission. I even designed a new Jutsu. That’s another big requirement to become a Jonin._

“You know what? You’re right! I’ll talk to my sensei and get his approval!”

“And don’t stop until he says yes!” Obito encouraged eagerly.

“We can become Jonin together!” You finished while outstretching your arm and presented him your fist. Obito immediately extended his own arm to return the gesture in a harmonious fist bump, the unbreakable determination flaring through the both of you.

* * *

 

To your surprise, your sensei approved of your application with little resistance. It could have to do with how, in your haste, you interrupted his leisurely session at the hot springs to sign it, his signature smudged from the steam that soaked into the document. Minato acknowledged the recommendation, but insisted that you complete the exam alongside Obito to prove your exceptional capabilities as a kuniochi.

As the exam date grew closer, you had begun to doubt your own abilities as a ninja. Before you could come to your senses, you found yourself at the doorstep of your other friend, Kakashi Hatake.

_What am I doing here? Kakashi and I may be friends now, but that doesn’t mean he would-_

“Hey, (y/n). Everything alright?” Kakashi’s sudden appearance startled you. You hadn’t even knocked on his door yet he was already aware of your presence at his home. He was surprised that you were visiting him, especially after the incident that happened the last time you were standing at his door – but he was happy to see you.

“Kakashi…! Uh, would you, um, consider sparring with me…? I need help perfecting my Earth Style techniques for me and Obito’s Jonin exam, and I was hoping that you could give me a few pointers with your own techniques…” You were nervous to ask someone like Kakashi for help, as you once thought he would never give you the time of day - but to your absolute surprise, he accepted. You and Kakashi then spent the evening strengthening your taijutsu and ninjutsu skills. He even distinguished which type of earth works best in certain situations. He told you that using soft sand when blocking attacks is actually more effective than hard, rocky walls: the cushioning of the sand would absorb attacks while hard stone could crumble from a forceful collision and potentially strike the defender. Gravel should be concentrated and launched at the enemy; its rigid texture would burrow into their skin with ease. He pointed these out, as well as other useful tricks and techniques, and you took Kakashi’s valuable advice to heart and ended the night with mild confidence and trust in your abilities. You were ready.

* * *

 

The Jonin exam was an entirely different experience for you. There were no exams evident in the show so you and Obito went into it completely blind, but you had faith in your best friend’s ability to make it through – especially with his new jutsu. The first phase was to demonstrate your ability to design a completely original and proficient jutsu. Between your massive elemental hands and Obito’s Bomb Blast Dance, the two of you passed the initial stage with flying colors.

The next phase was similar to the Chunin exams, where impeccable stealth was essential. The task was to elude a dozen sentinels and pilfer for an ancient scroll – hundreds of dimly lit candles surrounded every room and encompassed the scroll by mere inches. If the wind generated by your movements while fighting or retrieving it extinguished even one flame, or if the scroll catches fire, you automatically fail. Even though it was a solo exam, you and Obito worked together – he distracted the guards with a mild genjutsu conjured by his Sharingan and knocked them out while you pressed your hands flat onto the floor and manipulated the ground to carefully swallow the scroll and transfer it through the earth, where it soon popped out into your open hand. Every candle remained untouched. You and Obito clasped the scroll with one hand each and together you presented it to Minato with a prideful gleam in your smiles.

Minato had observed the entire performance, and while he was pleased with your excellent teamwork, he was strangely dissatisfied with the outcome.

All that remained was the final phase. Minato instructed the both of you to gather at the training grounds and he would join you shortly. You and Obito couldn’t contain your enthusiasm while dashing for the grounds, but not without naturally turning it into a competition. Last one there buys that evening’s celebratory ice cream.

* * *

 

Struggling to recover your breath, you flopped onto the dirt on the sparring field with Obito mirroring your action shortly after. With your head resting on its side, you watched from afar as numerous Genin kids practiced their shuriken throwing and other basic techniques at the areas nearby.

“Obito,” you muttered between labored breaths. “Do you think it’s a little weird that our final test as high-ranked ninjas is going to happen around a bunch of kids?”

“But we come here all the time. What’s so weird about that?”

“It’s not that, wouldn’t you think that our final test would be, you know, kinda dangerous? I thought Minato-sensei would have us do something totally life threatening, or something that needs quick decision-making – I don’t know, _something_ more noteworthy than this.”

“I wouldn’t doubt Minato-sensei,” Obito hoisted himself into a squatting position, his breath returning to a normal pattern. “The Hokage’s gotta have something grueling in mind. I’m ready for anything he’s got!”

Behind Obito, a soundless form appeared out of thin air, startling the two of you into exerting matching undignified squeals, with Obito’s being a slightly higher pitch.

“Sorry I’m late,” Minato started nonchalantly. “It took some time to uncover the pieces I need for the final phase of your examination.”

A special sound accompanied Minato’s words. It was soft, soothing, and all-too familiar.

_That noise… sounds like… bells…?_

Minato extended his arm to reveal the objects of interest between his fingers – two miniscule bells, the same ones used in the bell test for Kakashi’s and eventually Naruto’s team.

“Wha-? This has to be a joke, Minato-sensei. You’re telling me that our final test is to steal the bells away from you again? That’s academy grade stuff,” Obito huffed in irritation. “You may be the Hokage, but there has to be something more challenging than this!”

Minato stared at the agitated Uchiha; his face looked painfully unimpressed by Obito’s assumptions.

“The initial bell test to be promoted to Genin required you to remove these bells from me,” Minato’s voice sounded almost too confident.

“Your test now, (y/n), Obito,”

Minato flicked his wrist and expertly tossed the bells in your direction, with you and Obito each snatching one in midair.

“- is to remove these bells from each other. The first of you to succeed will be granted the status of Jonin. Use any means necessary. You may start.”

The two of you stood there, completely stunned by what Minato had assigned as the third and final obstacle of becoming an official Jonin.

“M-Minato-sensei… you can’t be serious…? Why would you set us up like this?” You somehow managed to choke out before Obito could.

“Being promoted to Jonin is a prodigious milestone for any shinobi. The position is incredibly competitive and not everyone is able to meet the standards to reach that level of prestige. Qualified shinobi must demonstrate critical decision-making skills in dire situations – and challenging each other is a suitable example of that. You may find yourselves up against a comrade in advanced missions, and as Jonin you must be prepared for when that opportunity arises."

_We came this close only for Minato to pull the rug out from under our feet. What do I do? Do I forfeit, that way Obito automatically wins? No, he would want to win fair and square. Should I make it easy for him to grab the bell, then? But… I want to become a Jonin, too..._

A seething aura radiated off Obito, his entire body grew rigid and tense as he struggled to restrain his temper, “I can’t believe you, Minato-sensei!” He pointed a figure accusingly at Minato, “Of all shinobi, I thought that _you_ would understand that _we_ would never turn on a comrade!” Obito finished while aggressively gesturing to you and himself, the Hokage’s eyebrows raised just a fraction of an inch.

_Uh oh. I need to do something…!_

“It… It’s okay, Obito. It’ll be just like… sparring…?”

“No, (y/n), it’s not! This is different!” Obito’s irritated form turned to you. “How could Minato-sensei even think about me hurting you as our final test? I always thought he knew better…” His voice descended to a disheartened mutter and he turned back around to shoot Minato a disappointed look.

_Oh no… Obito can’t get discouraged. Not after everything we’ve been through to get this far. Minato is kind of right, we will have to make terribly difficult choices like this on our missions. Obito needs to see that. I need to snap him out of it. I need to push Obito to his limit. I need to show Minato that at least one of us is ready for the title of Jonin!_

Minato’s eyes softened considerably at Obito. The Hokage looked as though he were about to speak until the ground under Obito’s feet began to shift before he unexpectedly fell over. Immediately recognizing this technique as yours, Obito peered over his shoulder at you, his face crowded with confusion and astonishment.

_Forgive me, Obito…_

“So you think you’re able to hurt me? Do you really think it’d be that easy to snatch my bell and steal the Jonin title away from me?”

“(y/n)? Of course I don’t think-“

“You really see me as _that_ weak?”

Obito paused at your assertion. He’s always believed with all his heart that you are a strong shinobi, both physically and mentally – yet you were standing there, insisting that he considered you as easy to take down.

_But (y/n) is anything but weak! How could she think that about herself?_

“You’re not weak, (y/n). You’re the best shinobi I know!”

“Obito, I would have died so many times if it weren’t for you. I _am_ weak and you know it…!” Your words pierced you deeper than you were expecting. It was true what you were telling your best friend. Ever since you came to this world, you viewed yourself as an inadequate shinobi who has been, on numerous occasions, captured, incapacitated, and almost killed while on your own.

“Don’t talk about yourself like that, (y/n)! You’ve always had faith in other people – faith in me – but you need to believe in yourself, too!” Distress, bewilderment, and even anger surrounded Obito’s tone. He just couldn’t stand seeing the one he adores degrading themselves, especially when he knows of your wonderful potential.

“If that’s true then try to take this bell from me. Show me how strong you think I am, and don’t hold back!” Your legs slowly shifted into a battle stance and you attached the bell to your waist, all while your determined eyes never separated from Obito’s surprised ones.

It was extremely upsetting for Obito to see you doubting yourself so heavily. If the only way to prove that you are a powerful shinobi is by accepting the challenge, then so be it. He will go all out and show you that you are strong by pushing you to your limits, just like how you plan to push his.

Without saying a word, Obito rose to his feet and mimicked your battle stance, his hand hovering over his face with his pinky and ring finger curled into his palm with the rest of his fingers positioned vertically upright, a gesture to signify that he was ready. Serious resolution overflowed from both your faces as a profound aura filled the atmosphere around you. With blood pumping and revolves absolute, the battle commenced.

As you expected, Obito initiated contact. He dashed at you with surprising speed, one arm hid behind his back to retrieve a kunai from his pack while you instinctively did the same. Before you could blink, the sound of metal grinding with metal met your ears; a faint ringing of two bells registered in the background upon the impact – the soothing tone of the chime directly contradicted the harsh clash of weapons on front of you.

Your hand trembled as you struggled to resist Obito’s frontal attack, almost missing his other hand when it suddenly darted to grab your other arm in a tight grip. Obito then shoved himself forward, taking you down to the ground with him. As soon as your back met harshly with the unforgiving earth, your legs immediately curled by their knees, using your feet on his stomach to forcefully shove Obito off of you. You had just enough time to scramble to your feet before he was back over you in an instant, his limbs thrusting toward you in a relentless volley of fists, palms, elbows and kicks while you parried and defended yourself. Eventually a fist managed to sneak by you and it made contact full force with your cheekbone, splitting it open and sending you flying backwards – only barely managing to land on your feet. Tears quickly filled your eyes at the sudden throbbing sting on your cheek. Obito’s vision also clouded with tears, not from his aching knuckles, but from the mental anguish of actually managing to strike you. The guilt in his chest from having to hurt you far outweighed any physical pain you could ever inflict on him.

This was entirely different from simple sparring. Obito was putting his heart into proving that you are not weak, that you are strong enough to withstand him - while you wanted to expose him to impossibly tough decisions and emotions to show that Obito is worthy of becoming a Jonin and then Hokage. The powerful motives of both you and Obito stem from wanting to help each other grow.

You took a moment to wipe the blood off your cheek; your eyes landing on the bell tied around Obito’s waist as he followed your gaze and instinctively hovered his hand over the chime, the fiercely determined but pained expression never leaving his face.

You made the next move by withdrawing a new kunai before vigorously hurling it into the ground right next to you, the pointed tip lodged sturdily into the dirt before the ground shifted and concealed the weapon into its depths. You then sprinted toward Obito, the aggressive action prompting him to activate his Sharingan, and you returned his relentless attacks with your own while he responded by blocking your blows. You saw a narrow opening and swiftly crouched down and swept your leg from under Obito’s as you watched him begin to fall backwards. The move was identical to Madara’s when he first caught Obito off guard, but he had learned since then. Instead of collapsing on his back, leaving him exposed, Obito fluently twisted his body in midair where his stomach faced the ground and his hands caught himself before the rest of his body could strike the rocky surface. Using his arms as leverage, Obito instantly pushed his body up and propelled himself backward, delivering an unexpected, harsh kick to your gut with both feet before stabilizing himself with his back facing you. Your back once again brutally thumped onto the dirt and you helplessly watched Obito rush toward you, his eyes locked in fierce determination.

“You can’t give up on me, (y/n)! You _are_ strong. The (y/n) I know wouldn’t surrender that easily,” Obito’s tone was strict but had complete and utter faith in you. His eyes then set on your constantly chiming bell. His outstretched hand steadily inched closer to the small sphere until a sharp object burst from the ground next to his hand – the kunai you previously buried – where it severed the string connecting the bell to your waist.

“I’m not done yet!” You snatched the loose bell before Obito could and hoisted it high into the air, desperate to keep it away from him. Obito watched the chime in slow motion through his Sharingan as he pounced directly above you to catch it. His fingertips almost grazed its smooth surface before he registered a clamping sensation around his leg. Obito blinked in realization and his eyes widened for a fraction of a second before you used all the strength in your legs wrapped around his to abruptly yank him downwards to the ground, landing on top of you. The sound of tiny metal making contact and rolling on the solid surface just behind your heads then captured both of your attention. In his haste to seize your bell, Obito crawled and leaned over your body, forgetting about his own bell while it dangled within your reach. Your hurried attempt to snatch it forced Obito to panic and back off you with irritation evident in his leap.

Suddenly, a rapid stream of sand whirled around Obito’s body that adamantly persisted and severely inhibited his field of vision even after lowering his goggles to protect his eyes. He cautiously stood in place, slightly hunched over with his arms and legs spread far apart in an anticipatory stance while crimson eyes darted and scoped the gritty atmosphere in earnest – when a shadow emerged from outside of the storm that was heading straight for him. A slim gap formed in the storm as you broke into it and aggressively leaped at Obito with a firm battle cry; your arm winded back in preparation for a punch, your fist coated in thousands of coarse granules for a sharper impact – until he turned to look at you. For a moment, Obito’s face expressed genuine fright for the first time in your fight. The brief look of helplessness unintentionally generated memories of the two of you together: How happy Obito was as he spun you around in adoration after giving him the application. His vulnerable expression when he struggled to convey his feelings for you at the pond. The pure feeling of rapture and understanding you and Obito shared through your first kiss. Intense emotion overwhelmed you in an instant and you deliberately directed the punch into the dirt next to him instead, leaving a gaping hole in its place.

_I… I can’t do it. I can’t hurt him…_

You then realized that you had left yourself completely unguarded and you formed hand signs just before Obito tackled you to the ground. A monstrous rumbling then reverberated throughout the field as the sand accumulated to form two colossal hands – one removed Obito off you while the other attempted to grapple his violently swinging bell. Obito broke out of its grip, which was loose to avoid hurting him, and landed nearby as the hands persisted in trying to debilitate him, leaving Obito with just enough time to form his own hand signs. The countless distracting particles of sand in the air dulled in comparison to the blinding flame that shot from Obito’s mouth in a ferocious coil, surrounding your sand fists and encasing them in an uncontrollable inferno. His Bomb Blast Dance burned with such a staggering intensity that it melted the sand encompassing your jutsu, superheating it and morphing them into glass. Surprised, you immediately lost control of your jutsu and the glass hands began to plummet to the ground near Obito. Your eyes widened, followed with a gasp in horror while you anticipated the violent collision that was about to strike him. Distracted by the blinding objects descending from the sky, Obito flinched once he noticed the ground below him shifting and closed his eyes to brace for your attack, before the darkness engulfing him made Obito realize that it was your Protective Barrier surrounding him rather than another attack. Not a moment later, a muffled, thunderous crash made it to Obito’s ears and he listened to the deafening sound of your glass hands shattering upon impact, sending thousands of glass shards throughout the field. Your Protective Barrier dissolved a moment later, the countless shards embedded into every spot on his side of the field except where Obito stood.

_(y/n)… even when we’re fighting, she…_

Obito gaped at you, awestruck. Even when you two were opponents, keeping him safe was still your number one priority.

_Has she… been holding back…?_

Obito’s face morphed from awe back to serious. He doesn’t want you restraining yourself anymore.

You gazed at Obito from a safe distance, satisfied with yourself for putting his wellbeing first. You eased your stance and let your guard down, but you began to feel unsettled over something, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. Obito seemed to be almost too still – the look in his crimson eyes made you feel uneasy.

_Wait a minute… Obito’s Sharingan!_

Panic struck your being once you realized that your eyes made contact with Obito’s as soon as you released him from your barrier, allowing yourself to become vulnerable to his genjutsu abilities. You learned this too late, as the Obito in front of you dissolved into nothing; the area around you then ignited, shrouded in a thick wall of flames stretching at least 20 feet into the air. You stood there frozen, the terror of your situation rooting your body in place as you felt that passionate, familiar presence directly behind you. You managed to swivel your body to face him, crossed your arms, and formed a small sand shield to absorb the punch heading right for you. You could counter his fervent attacks with your own, but you chose not to. You couldn’t seriously and intentionally harm Obito, you realized. Instead, you opted to endure each strike that was increasing in both frequency and intensity, signaling Obito’s growing frustration.

“You are not _weak!”_ Obito emphasized the last word with a particularly powerful punch, one that forced your feet to skid slightly backwards. “I know you’ve been holding back from me, (y/n)!”

“I have to, Obito!” You managed to respond between frenzied blows, each one generating a sickening ‘thwack’ noise, “I can’t stand seeing you hurt!”

Obito’s pained expression grew even more agonizing.

“Do you think I _like_ doing this to you?! That I like _hurting you_?!” His punches continued to rise in vigor, the forceful movements finally causing the tears flooding his eyes to loosen and spill over.

“Obito,”

*THWACK*

 “I’m holding back because I’m your protector!”

Obito finally squeezed his eyes shut with gritted teeth, unable to restrain the blazing emotions consuming him any longer.

“(y/n),”

*THWACK*

“I’m pushing so hard because **_I love you_** _!”_

A final slam accompanied Obito’s last words, one that was so intense, so emotional and impassioned that it launched you back into the air, straight through the coat of flames surrounding you two.

_Obito… he…!_

You plunged to the ground, your side dragging onto the dirt before your limp body came to a complete stop. With the strength completely expended from your body, you could only watch the flame wall split in two with a tall shadow emerging from it as they took steady steps toward your subdued body at an agonizingly slow pace.

Obito stood over you. For the first time in your life, you couldn’t read his facial expression. Obito’s back was straight, his curled fists told of the conflicting emotions teeming inside him as he looked down at you with a blank but somber face. You managed to catch the subtle change of his eyebrows lowering while taking a good look at you and seeing the utter defeat in your eyes.

After a few more excruciating moments of silence, Obito wordlessly bent down, his arm raising toward you, as if in slow motion, to finally obtain the coveted bell and claim the title of Jonin.

_This is it._

_It’s over._

_I lost…_

You dejectedly told yourself and shut your eyes in crushing defeat while waiting for the sound of your bell to hit your ears.

“….”

It wasn’t until moments later when no noise followed that you reluctantly opened your eyes only to find the loose bell still lying on the ground next to you, with Obito’s hand nowhere near it. Confused, your head gradually shifted to the Uchiha in front of you, only to see an arm outstretched toward you, with a gentle hand offering to help you up.

You stared at his gesture in disbelief before raising a trembling hand to secure a strong grip with his. Obito eased you up, your hold on each other’s hand never separating. His tender actions simultaneously filled your heart with warmth and furthered your feelings of confusion.

“Obito, what are you… why aren’t you grabbing my bell?”

“I took the challenge because I wanted to prove to you how strong I know you are. I don’t care about that bell,” the grip holding onto your hand squeezed tighter.

“Besides,” Obito added while unclipping the bell from his waist with his other hand before holding it out to you. “We both know that you’re the one who deserves to be a Jonin. There was never a doubt in my mind that you have amazing skills in protection, but to defend your opponent without even a question? You’re somehow even stronger than I thought, (y/n). Didn’t even think that was possible, to tell you the truth,” he flashed you a tired smile while waiting expectantly for you to claim his bell and the title of Jonin, only to open his eyes in puzzlement a moment later when the weight of the chime still rested on his palm.

“Obito… I can’t take the title away from you. That’d be turning against you if I did. We promised that we would become Jonin together, and I’ll wait however long it takes for us to become amazing ninja together.”

Obito’s expression eased into warm admiration as he gazed down at you, the softness of his features was enough to overlook the numerous scratches and dirt marks coating his face.

“We’re already amazing ninja, (y/n). You know that.”

You responded to Obito by mirroring his soft expression, one that revealed your feelings of comfort and reassurance that you garner from your best friend.

 “Minato-sensei’s just going to have to fail the both of us.”

At that, Minato appeared before you, his lengthy cloak swaying with his swift movement. Blue eyes settled on the two of you, his serious look told you to prepare for his verdict.

“You both are choosing to forfeit the exam by refusing to remove the bells from each other. Are you sure about this, (y/n)? Obito?”

Obito peered down at you and offered a firm look, one that conveyed that he had no doubts about his decision.

 _He got this far, yet Obito is willing to give this up and wait for me._  

Finally, the two of you traded quiet nods before turning your attention back to the Hokage.

“My goal was to prove that (y/n) is an amazing shinobi. I would never betray her, or any comrade, Minato-sensei.”

“Me too. We need to protect our teammates and help them get stronger, not turn against each other. I’m sorry you can’t see it that way, Minato-sensei.”

Minato glanced at Obito, then back to you.

“Well then. (y/n) (l/n), Obito Uchiha.”

A confident grin replaced his blank and serious expression.

“Starting today, the two of you will work under the Hidden Leaf Village as official Jonin-rank shinobi. Congratulations.”

The grip on your hand instinctively pressed tighter, the almost painful clench didn’t even register in your mind over the disbelief overwhelming all senses but your hearing.

“Just now – what did you say, Minato-sensei?”

 Minato closed his eyes in delight, “I said that I am passing the both of you on your Jonin exams.”

“But I don’t understand. How are we not disqualified? Obito and I both refused the final test.”

“That’s precisely why I’m permitting the both of you, (y/n). The final phase of your examination wasn’t to test your overt abilities to see who is stronger. It was to test your views on your teammates under immense pressure. If you truly cared for your allies, you would not turn against them for your own self-interest. Shinobi with this perspective is essential for our village to prosper. We’re in dire need of ninja like you and Obito.”

Minato’s confident expression then changed to one of awkwardness while his arm reached to comb through the back of his hair, his voice slightly docile and hesitant.

“But if I’m being honest, I saw how Obito already understood the importance of teammates. I was about to pass you after Obito initially refused to fight, before you challenged him, (y/n).

You sweatdropped at the revelation. _It’s okay, (y/n). The challenge was definitely worth it. I feel confident in my abilities… thanks to Obito – and it feels like he’s grown from this, too._

“You may have gone against my expectations by battling each other, but you did so in order to strengthen one another rather than to blindly follow my orders. Nurture this view. It’s a valuable asset for a Hokage to own,” Minato hinted as he winked at Obito, whose mouth still hung slightly open in shock at the results.

“Assemble at my office tomorrow morning so we can discuss your advanced duties as Jonin. Until then, I suggest cleaning yourselves up, and perhaps go out to celebrate. Congratulations, you two.”

With Minato’s body phasing into a blur, he then disappeared, leaving you and Obito alone to revel in the news together.

“I’m dreaming. Tell me I’m dreaming, Obito,” you implored.

You allowed another moment to pass before an unstoppable smile finally poised your face. “We did it, Obito! We passed! We’re Jonin!” You voiced with glee while enclosing your best friend in an impulsive hug, with one of your hands still squeezing his.

Your goal was simple. Only a few days before, your only resolve was to assist Obito with becoming a Jonin. Never did you imagine that Minato would recognize you as qualified as well. You had your best friend to thank for the boost in confidence.

It took longer for Obito to process the Hokage’s verdict, but once he did, the Uchiha couldn’t contain his excitement as he cheered and responded to your touch by wrapping his arms around you just as eagerly.

“So what do you say?” you asked while reluctantly releasing your hold off him. “You still up for celebratory ice cream tonight?”

“Yeah, (y/n)! I heard they just came out with a special limited edition flavor; all those fliers are keeping the taste a mystery. I’ve been meaning to figure it out myself!”

“Oh, I know the kind you’re talking about! I had it, actually! It’s-“

“Hold it, don’t spoil it for me, (y/n)! I’m gonna find out soon enough!” Obito’s voice was thorough with excitement of his new status coupled with the anticipation of his treat with you.

“Alright, Alright. I won’t tell you, but let me just say that it’s an… acquired taste,” you chuckled.

“But I love it, and I know that you’ll love it, too –“

Your body suddenly tensed up with apprehension. Love. You said _love._ It reminded you of what Obito had declared not even ten minutes earlier. The part that involved love, and involved you.

Obito tensed too, likely distracted by the same invasive thoughts.

“So, um, Minato was right. We should probably go home and clean ourselves up. Let’s go, I’ll walk you home,” you offered casually, hiding your nerves behind a façade of ignorance to the worrisome thoughts you and Obito were just reflecting on.

He began to follow you, until contemplation overrode Obito’s features. He peered at the ground, inwardly analyzing his options, before quickly returning his concentration to you.

“You know what, (y/n)… I need to go alone this time.”

_Obito… he’s… asking for time alone again? Oh no. How long is it going to be this time? What… what did I do wrong?_

He watched your face as it gradually dipped from surprise to serious worry. It was then Obito considered the possible implications behind his words. You were getting the wrong idea, he realized. It was only natural to react this way after what you two went through the first time he asked for this.

“Hey, it – it’s fine, (y/n). I just… need to find some things at the shop. I’m not going home just yet, but I might be a while. That’s all it is.” Obito stretched his arm out to you. “I’ll meet you at our usual ice cream place at six.”

You initially thought that he was going for a customary fist bump, until you noticed his pinky stuck out from the rest of his hand. You were confused by his unusual gesture. It’s not often that you and Obito pinky swore.

“It’ll be okay.”

Obito knew that asking for time away from you was nerve-wracking, but he had an idea and was going to stick to it. Still, he wanted to convey that he wasn’t abandoning you. On some basic levels, you understood this. Steadily raising your hand, you quietly and heedfully looped your pinky with his.

“I promise.”


	23. Anticipation

The evening was quiet as you stepped out of your apartment; the sound of the inner mechanisms of the door locking temporarily filled the air before you descended the steps and made your way to your favorite ice cream shop. You stopped by your house from the training grounds to shower and change out of your ninja outfit in favor of something more casual. Only a few hours before, you were a Chunin, a rank that you struggled for years to achieve. It felt incredibly surreal that you were one level above that now. Not only that, but you accomplished such an impressive feat alongside your best friend. You were on your way to the ice cream shop specifically to meet up with him to celebrate your mutual accomplishment of becoming Jonin together. This was something you’ve been looking forward to all day, but the final test of becoming a Jonin changed everything. You began to feel rather apprehensive the closer your feet took you to Obito. You should be ecstatic over your newly acquired prestigious title – but only one thought occupied your mind.

_“(y/n),”_

_“I’m pushing so hard because **I love you**!”_

Your heart raced each time Obito’s passionate words played in your mind, over and over, never ending. Obito of all people finally said it. You had plans to reveal the genuine love for your best friend directly sometime after the exam was over – or you would have at least tried. You were shocked that Obito found the courage to do it himself, but he would always find unique ways to surprise you. The scorching emotions that engulfed both you and Obito were at their peak during your brawl with him, to the point where Obito couldn’t suppress it any longer, and if you were honest, neither can you. Still, your mind combated with your heart, desperate to keep it from even the slightest chance of fracturing. Your inner turmoil persisted as you strolled by the training grounds, the side dominated by new Genin. You paused for a moment to watch a young squad jump in joy and embrace each other after completing their practice assignment. Their hearty enthusiasm coupled with your intent to celebrate with Obito elicited distant memories originating from the very field they stood in.

 

* * *

 

_"Great job, Obito! You finally got it!" Rin praised while clasping her hands together in commendation. You, Rin, and Obito were practicing a stealth mission assigned by Minato at the training grounds when you were only 11 years old. The goal was to work together to retrieve a fake artifact, and Obito surprisingly was the one to lead the way – and to succeed. He was overjoyed, likely because his rival Kakashi was exempt from this task due to his advanced level of training – such a task would have been a ‘waste of his time,’ as he would say. With him out of the way, Obito finally had a chance to shine, and his excitement only intensified once he learned that you would be filling in for this task as the third placeholder for Kakashi._

_"I put together some chocolate bites for you! You should have them to celebrate!" Rin said with excitement as she pulled out a handmade bag wrapped in thin string, the small squares visible through the clear plastic bag decorated in transparent stickers before handing it to Obito._

_"Aw, thanks, Rin! These look amazing!"_

_Rin smiled warmly at the compliment, warranting a spiteful glare from you that went unnoticed by her. "Just don't eat them all at once, okay?"_

_"No way, you should totally eat them all right now, Obito!" You found the courage to interject, catching Obito's attention._

_"Only if you help me out with these, (y/n)!"_

_You were surprised that Obito would offer to share his gift with you, and you were about to respond, until you found something being handed to you as well._

_"Rin, what...?" was all you could say upon being offered a bag of sweets of your own._

_"I didn't forget about you, (y/n)! I hope you like chocolate," Rin beamed with a pleasant grin while presenting you with a bag, which you uncomfortably but graciously accepted. You were completely taken by surprise that Rin made something for you too, instead of leaving you behind. A wedge of guilt about your hostile feelings for Rin began to surface before your best friend's voice distracted you and began filling your head with a fortuitous notion._

_"Aw man, now I gotta eat this whole bag by myself?" Obito blushed while pretending to be distressed, his eyes traveling to Rin, acting as though he wanted her to join him – a gesture that you somehow missed due to being stuck in your own thoughts._

_"Hold on a second," you announced with a brilliant idea. "We should combine our bags together and eat everything right here and now! I bet that I could eat more squares than you!"_

_"Wait, (y/n), Obito, I don't think that's -"_

_"You're on!" Obito interrupted, not even realizing he'd cut Rin off due to his excitement. Without any more hesitation, the two of you merged your sweets together into one colossal mass of chocolate._

_“Ready… and… GO!”_

_You began scarfing down anything that remotely resembled a chocolate square, the hands of you and your best friend constantly bumped against each other as you attempted to reach for more sweets than him._

_"I got a huge handful that time," Obito managed to murmur out while his cheeks extended with chocolate. "Don't cry when you end up losing, (y/n)!"_

_"Shush it!" Your words came out as a barely distinguishable mumble between the chewy sweets stuffed in your mouth. "How many did you even eat so far, anyway?"_

_Obito paused his chewing, a panicked look spreading across his face. "I forgot to keep a count," he muttered as sweat beaded down his bulging cheeks._

_"It's okay," you gulped down a large chunk before lifting up another handful to your mouth and whispered, "I lost count a long time ago."_

_At that, Obito chuckled while shutting his eyes, his shoulders rapidly rising and falling as he laughed in genuine adoration of your antics before stuffing his face at the same time you did, both of you had your eyes closed and sported matching smiles for one another when doing so._

_Rin was speculating your little competition, her eyebrows expressing deep concern, but her subtle grin gave away how she truly felt about watching you two. You and Obito simultaneously reached your hands into the bag and soon found that it was now empty. Instead, the two of you ended up grabbing each other's hand and your bodies stiffened up in surprise from the suggestive contact. You and Obito exchanged shocked looks before yours slowly morphed into a warm, softer expression, with Obito's mimicking yours shortly after. Electricity was in the air, and you couldn't help but admire your best friend next to you, your hands still connected; that is, until it hit the two of you._

_Uh oh._

_Both of your stomachs began to rumble violently - too much, they protested. You and Obito's once gentle expression soon shifted again into one of pure panic, your faces drenched in sweat and slightly green in color. You both tried holding it together, with Obito trying the hardest, before instincts got the best of you and you two simultaneously bent over to void your overstuffed stomachs. Rin began walking over to your hunched over forms to offer her solace, the nervous smile and look in her eyes screamed at you - I told you so._

 

* * *

 

A sweet smile graced your lips at the memory, and your head turned back to the road in front of you to continue your trek to meet with _him._

Obito trudged through the hectic crowd, the shopping district’s streets overflowed with villagers from the evening’s dinner rush. Stranger’s shoulders would brush and collide with his in the mounting horde, but Obito couldn’t register it. He’d normally have no issues giving these inconsiderate villagers a piece of his mind, but only one person was deserving of his concentration that evening. After what he admitted to you in the battle, he couldn’t avoid it anymore. All his mind could focus on was you, and what he was planning to ask you.

 _Should I even go through with this?_  

Obito doubted himself. The pressure was beginning to be too much for the young Uchiha to bear. Despite blocking out the noise and activity transpiring everywhere around him, Obito couldn’t ignore the sound of his name being called by a familiar, feminine voice that attracted his attention in its entirety.

“Obito!” Rin pleaded out for her childhood friend to pause for her while she caught up to him while still in her hospital uniform.

“Rin! How’ve you been feeling? Are your chakra levels okay?”

She gleefully nodded. “I’ve been finished with my rehabilitation for a while now.”

Obito sweatdropped in embarrassment. He should’ve known that. Between solo missions and centering his focus on you, he ended up lacking any free time to spend with his first friend. His first crush. It was then he became aware of just how long it had been since he and Rin enjoyed each other’s company in leisure.

“There’s something I want to talk to you about, Obito. I know you’ve been busy, but I was hoping that I could find you and ask if you’d like to go to the dango shop with me.”

Obito twitched slightly in surprise. Rin was asking _him_ to go somewhere with her? There were no fliers in her hands this time. She wasn’t inviting anyone else. This wasn’t to celebrate yet another achievement made by his rival, Kakashi. Rin was asking him out, _personally,_ this time. Obito observed the setting sun momentarily, calculating in his head how much spare time he had before returning his concentration to Rin and, like the giddy dork he is, nodded profusely.

 

* * *

 

Passing by the Hidden Leaf Hospital, a phantom pain began emanating from the scar on your chest while thinking of your recent stay within its stale and mentally asphyxiating confines. Before your long-term admittance, the entrance to the facility always evoked one incident in particular, one that you would conversely rather forget about.

 

* * *

 

_“Obito, please, put me down!”_

_“Not yet! We’re almost there, (y/n)! See? The hospital’s just up ahead, they’ll know what to do!” Obito affirmed frantically as he carried you bridal-style down the dirt road, a bulky shroud of dust trailed behind his feet while rushing to its front doors in a frenzied desperation._

_After an intense afternoon sparring session, you and Obito had decided to take a quick power nap under the shade of a tree located just outside the training fields; its leaves offered solace from the blistering summer heat. Obito’s hand had unknowingly grazed your upper leg as he slept, only for him to awaken shortly after to the feeling of an odd, clammy moisture sticking to his palm in doing so. He groggily withdrew his touch and brought it to his view before his eyes snapped wide open in pure panic once he saw blood coating his hand – the distinctive mark of a potentially dangerous injury. Obito’s feverish call for you startled you awake, his hysterical form over yours in an instant._

_“Obito… what –“_

_“I thought you said my shuriken missed you when I threw it earlier, (y/n)! Where’d it hit you? Where are you bleeding?!”_

_“Bleeding? I’m not –“ That’s when your mind, still recovering from drowsiness, began registering the thick, chilly wetness of blood around your thighs, followed by a twinging pain in your lower abdomen._

_What? I’m sure that I dodged his shuriken! How the heck did it hit me-?_

_Wait a second…_

_You warily felt around your lower stomach._

_…This isn’t an injury._

_Obito’s eyes eagerly followed your hand before trailing lower where he took notice and gasped at the blood trickling over your upper legs._

_“Oh no,” you heard yourself whisper in sheer humiliation over the misunderstanding._

_Obito interpreted your tone as ’oh no, I am going to die,’ and his face grew full of unrestrained terror as he roughly hoisted you up and began sprinting to the hospital, all while ignoring your protests along the way. His mind only focused on that one goal of keeping you alive._

 

* * *

 

A stinging blush coated your cheeks at recalling the event that ended right there in the hospital lobby. Your painful flush spread further from also remembering the talk you and the medics had with Obito that explained why you were losing blood without injury, and why it was a completely normal occurrence. Obito was mortified – his face turned white as a ghost. He couldn’t look you in the eye for a week after that. Shaking your head to jostle the thoughts away, you resumed your walk to the main area of the village.

 

* * *

 

“Thank you finding time to come out here with me,” Rin stated politely while sitting across from Obito at the dango shop. “I wanted to meet with you for a while now.”

“You see, I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately.”

Obito almost choked on the dumpling he had in his mouth at remembering that Rin brought him here to ‘talk,’ the nervous sweat beading at his temples indicated his nerves.

“I keep thinking about what happened when I got captured, and what you went through to rescue me. You never gave up on looking for me, and you even helped me during my recovery afterwards. These past few months made me realize some things…”

Rin hadn’t taken even one bite of her dango, and instead opted to twirl the stick between her fingers as she spoke. Obito watched in puzzlement as her cheeks reddened, her large, dark eyes glazing directly over his.

“First, it helped me understand how lucky I am to have a friend like you. Also… it made me realize… how I truly feel about you…”

Obito paused mid-chew in complete stupefaction with the dango stick protruding from his pursed lips. He then felt a soft hand blanket over his, prompting Obito in stagger over his words.

“R-Rin… are… you’re s-saying…?”

She nodded quietly with flushed cheeks. Her straight brown hair had since grown out slightly beyond her shoulders, and it fluidly moved and swayed along her face with the gesture.

Obito watched in astonishment as Rin raised herself from her seat and began leaning across the table toward him. It felt as if everything was moving in slow motion despite not activating his Sharingan. He could only freeze in place as he watched Rin close her eyes, her lips inching closer to his.

Obito couldn’t believe it. Rin, the woman who had captured his heart, was now returning those deep, once sundered feelings for him. This was what he’d always wanted. All those mornings lying in bed inspecting the team photo he had of her, gazing into her angelic face with that alluring smile, wishing that she would one day reciprocate and look at him with identical fondness.

But… something else was currently occupying the space inside his thoughts as well.

Petrified, he watched as Rin continued to advance toward him, prepared to deliver the sweet kiss he’d always fantasized about during his youth. Obito’s eyes widened as a soothing image flashed swiftly through his mind – the other picture he keeps at his bedside table. The one of him and (y/n).

“(y/n)…”

Upon hearing _your_ name, Rin paused before she could reach his lips, and her eyes peeked open in innocent confusion. “Obito?”

Obito was overwhelmed. He was still in pure disbelief over finally winning over his childhood crush, but he was strangely not happy about it. The image of Rin leaning close to him with romantic intent painfully contradicted with the girl he was cherishing in his mind. He hadn’t even realized that your name slipped passed his lips, but Rin’s troubled voice snapped Obito back to reality.

“Rin… please listen, I can’t… I-I don’t, I…” he didn’t know what to say.

Obito loves _you_.

Rin immediately caught on to his reluctance. “Obito… but I thought…” she withdrew her hand from his and reclined back to her side of the table.

“….”

“It’s (y/n)… right?”

Obito’s line of sight, which was down casted on the table in shame and discomfort, returned to Rin’s at the mention of your name. His silence told Rin the answer. He could never abandon you.

After a quiet moment, a small, contented smile gently formed on her lips.

“Make sure that (y/n) knows she’s the luckiest girl in the world, Obito.”

Obito studied Rin in earnest surprise. He was stunned that she would readily accept his humble rejection with such a calm complacency.

“I-I will, Rin. I was just on my way to-“

Obito paused abruptly in sheer panic. He had gone out to grab some things in preparation for meeting with you, until he’d become preoccupied with Rin. That was a while ago. Obito had pinky swore that you two were okay and that he’d meet with you at six.

_If I’m late, (y/n) will think the worst!_

“What time is it?!” he begged for an answer.

“Are you late to something, Obito?”

“Th-that’s putting it lightly, Rin! We’ll get together again soon, but I need to go right now!”

Kakashi perched on a nearby tree branch, its monstrous trunk towered over the park it resided in. This was his favorite spot to relax, as it allowed Kakashi to read his books in peace while also having the option to observe the adjacent shopping district whenever he pleased. Scanning countless people as they go about their day also helped Kakashi to remember that he is never alone – he always has allies nearby. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a distinct figure that was salient from all the rest, convincing Kakashi to remove his gaze from his book and blink in mild intrigue. He watched Obito stumble and almost trip over as he sprinted frantically out of the shop, clearly unpunctual, as Rin’s arm raised vertically above her head to wave him goodbye with a strained, overenthusiastic look on her face. Kakashi then inspected Rin’s body language once Obito was out of sight. He watched her arm slowly lower at the same rate her facial expression did, until her arm dropped at her side, with a forlorn frown to enhance her now melancholy demeanor. This was the first time he had ever seen Rin pose such a defeated, desolate expression. It did not look good on her. Without removing his gaze off Rin, Kakashi pinched his book shut with one hand, and used the other to lever himself down the branch.

“Rin,” Kakashi’s sudden appearance drew a gentle gasp from Rin in surprise.

“Kakashi?” At recognizing who was once her crush, Rin’s forced smile returned. “What are you doing around here?”

“Funny, I was about to ask you the same question,” Kakashi pretended to be ignorant to Rin’s true feelings.

Rin’s eyelids lowered, her head turning to the direction where Obito had bolted in.

Kakashi immediately understood.

“You know, I don’t think dango is really something you should be having for dinner. Why not come with me so we can get something more filling,” his casual but endearing suggestion amazed Rin, coaxing a blush and genuine grin to break out on her face. His request and sudden interest in her suffused Rin with a strange warmth she once fostered for Kakashi but had eventually extinguished, but she found that the weakened smolder was beginning to ignite again.

 

* * *

 

“Aw come on, why can’t I have it?”

An exasperated and incredibly familiar voice caught your attention once you reached the central shopping area, driving your feet to a halt once again.

“Easy, because you forgot to say please,” Kushina stated as a matter of fact, the upper half of her body bent downward to address four year old Naruto directly. Seeing the blond child of prophecy himself drew a short gasp from you. Naruto. The main character of your favorite show. The boy whose journey you followed attentively for years, recalling all of the hardships and horrible events in his life that will never come to fruition – because of you. You observed Naruto’s features, noticing his hair had grown out slightly, especially the bangs around his sides as it strikingly resembled Minato’s. His disproportionally large, blue eyes peered up at his mother with an irritated but determined look in his eyes. You have only seen Naruto up close once – and it had been so long, and yet, those blue eyes still hadn’t changed since then. Those distinctive eyes served as a profound reminder of another event permanently embedded into your memory.

 

* * *

 

_"Outta my way, Obito! I'm the one who's going to hold him first!" You declared as you and Obito raced down the hallway before trying to enter the room simultaneously, your bodies wedging between the frame and each other in doing so._

_"Nu uh. No way am I letting you beat me at anything!" Obito says while straining hard against you to enter the room before you._

_"I sure as heck can beat you at being on time," you replied with a competitive snark in your voice as your hand reached and pressed against Obito's face to try to push him out of your way while still writhing against him._

_"That was a low blow, I can't help being an old lady magnet - whoa!" Obito's defense was interrupted once your bodies suddenly unwedged from the frame and collapsed onto the floor at the same time. You both laid there in a daze while Rin and Kakashi composedly walked in right after you, with Kakashi's eyes traveling down your forms in annoyance._

_"Not everything has to be a competition," he spat while walking past you and Obito; Kakashi's coolheaded composure succeeded in unnerving you._

_“No, but everything **has** to be by the rules, Kakashi!” Obito replied spitefully with his face still pressed to the floor._

_Kakashi scoffed before his eyes shifted to the object of interest at the center of the room, his mildly irritated expression immediately changing to amiable surprise, followed by a soft, "Oh,"_

_Surprising the hardened Kakashi was an uncommon occurrence. It prompted you and Obito to finally lift your heads off the floor and gaze up at where he stood. Not long after, the sound of Rin gasping wholeheartedly followed by the sound of gentle hands clapping together filled the room and she excitedly positioned herself next to Kakashi, both of their bodies blocking your view of the reason why you were in such a rush to get there in the first place._

_Looking at their excited demeanor then back at each other, you and Obito scrambled to your feet and hastily joined Rin and Kakashi in the center of the room. What you found was Minato's lover - Kushina, as she reclined in a cushioned chair. In her arms, a tangle of tiny blankets spilled over her; you could see weak movements emanating from inside the soft fabric. You and Obito's eyes widened as Kushina pulled back the cloth to reveal none other than her son, Naruto Uzumaki. Seeing the one-week old infant filled your heart with a strange maternal protectiveness. You were embarrassed to be experiencing that with someone who wasn't even your own blood, but judging from the faces of your comrades, including Obito's, you discerned that they must be feeling the exact same way._

_"Now who's going to hold him first?" Kushina's mild tone surprised you. This is your initial meeting with her, but you knew that she had a hot-blooded temperament from watching the show. Perhaps the glow of becoming a new mother had temporarily drenched that fiery personality of hers. "From what I heard, Obito was just fighting over getting to hold him," Kushina stated before turning her attention to you. “Oh, you must be..."_

_You opened your mouth to answer._

_"WAIT. I got it. You must be... Kurenai Yuhi! I've heard a lot of great things about you -"_

_“A-actually, I'm (y/n)...(y/n) (l/n)."_

_You hesitated to correct Kushina in fear of unleashing her wrath, but thankfully, she only blinked at you._

_"Ah, well, I was close. Sort of. Not really. But enough about you, he's what you guys came for, am I right?" Kushina tilted Naruto in your direction, the awe overthrowing your emotions once again._

_"What do you think, Naruto? Who do you want to see first?" Kushina poked at Naruto's stubby little nose, rousing him into opening his eyes for the first time that evening. Big, icy blue eyes landed on Obito's dark, surprised ones, prompting him to step back slightly in sudden apprehension._

_"You look as if you've never held a baby before," Kushina started bluntly. "It's about time that you learned, kiddo."_

_Obito was so determined to beat you by being the first of the four of you to hold little Naruto, but he hadn't actually thought about what it would feel like to be entrusted with such a tiny, defenseless life. Obito was scared - terrified of dropping Naruto, or having him throw up everywhere, maybe he'll start wailing once Naruto actually got a good look at the face of an Uchiha. All of these insecurities overwhelmed Obito as the baby was handed to him; his arms quivered from the weight of the mental pressure._

_You watched Obito's unusual mannerisms - his mouth parted downward, teeth clenched. His eyes were full to the brim with unfortified timidness, his hysterically furrowed eyebrows emphasizing the fact. One large bead of sweat slid from Obito's temple down to his obviously pink and flushed cheek. The hands bearing Naruto, especially the one minding his head, noticeably trembled._

_You were amazed to see Obito this way. Who knew he had such a weak spot for babies? You recalled how Obito was also one of the first to hold Naruto in the original show, even though his intentions then were not so innocent. His demeanor then completely contradicted Obito's behavior now, and you were thankful for that. Still, it hurt you to see Obito genuinely struggling like this._

_"Here, what if you wrapped your arm around him like... this?" You guided Obito to position infant Naruto into the crook of his arm, Naruto's fragile head resting against the inside of Obito's elbow._

_"Hey, no older than 15 years old, and an expert on babies already," Kushina teased as she slipped you a wink, with you responding with a faint blush at the suggestion and rubbed around your neck bashfully, "It's just what I think I would do, is all."_

_Obito was only half listening. With Naruto tucked safely within his arms, Obito's appearance finally eased as he allowed the powerful feeling of paternal benevolence wash over him._

_You, Rin and Kakashi watched the squirming child from the sidelines: Rin's hands still clasped together around her mouth in joy. One of your hands gripped and fidgeted with the other as your attention shifted from the baby to Obito, the blush in your face deepening in intensity._

_Even Kakashi and his seemingly chronic stoic face degraded at the innocent sight. His eyebrows were raised up high, signifying that Kakashi's guard was completely down and taking great interest in the infant beside him. His arms still crossed around his chest as he kept a professional posture but the rest of Kakashi's body leaned toward Obito's to get a better look at the blond child who was eagerly scouting the area to soak in his new surroundings._

_“So, what do you think, Obito?” Kushina asked with a gentle smugness in her voice. “Not so bad, right?”_

_“I – yeah. It’s… he,” was all Obito could muster, his tone immersed in wonder and amazement, his eyes unable to detach themselves from the impossibly tiny person he was granted the privilege to look after – his grip instinctively tightening, drawing Naruto closer to his chest protectively._

_Through some force that only babies could understand, Naruto's face scrunched up before unleashing a deafening wail - one that startled everyone but Kushina. Naruto began squirming insistently against Obito, prompting the Uchiha's nerves to overtake him once more. The sticky moisture returned to his face as he tried desperately to hand Naruto off to someone else - earning a hearty laugh from everyone as Obito's flustered actions only continued to rise in franticity._

 

* * *

 

“No way! Real boys don’t say please!” young Naruto asserted to his mother.

“Now who in the world told you that?” Kushina spouted, her red-hot hair flaring in anger as her fist descended at a pure vertical angle onto her toddler’s head in discipline.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“You need to learn some manners, ya know! Now let’s go,” Kushina whirled in the opposite direction and began to walk away. Her son stayed in place as his attention turned back to a fox mask displayed on the wall.

“Please, Mom?” Two words froze Kushina where she stood, her face softening considerably at her son’s improved attitude.

“Well… you did say please,” she conceded with mild defeat evident in her smile as Kushina pulled out money and handing it to Naruto to purchase the coveted fox mask.

“Yes! I love you, Mom,” Naruto announced so sweetly, his words piercing deep into your heart – knowing that Naruto has a family he’s always deserved… because of you.

“I love you too, Naruto.”


	24. Fire and Earth

The footsteps you took subconsciously got slower once the ice cream shop was in your line of sight. You couldn’t believe that you were about to do this.

As you continued to get closer, you tried to observe the people inside through the shop’s window from a distance, wondering if Obito managed to beat you here, even though you knew Hell would freeze over before he would be anywhere before you. You were so preoccupied with the people inside of the shop that you failed to notice the person standing upright outside the shop’s doors, with their back facing you.

You first noticed the clothes that were adorning them – a purple, long sleeve gown, spanning to their shins where a pair of black pants covered their legs. A simple belt partnered with a traditional white obi acted as a sash around their waist. There was an uneven bulge in their lower back, as if they had something stuffed within the inside of their cloak, secured in place by their sash from the inside.  Directing your attention around their head, you noticed that the gown was high collared, an extremely common style of the Uchiha Clan. It only took a fraction of a second for the white and red fan emblem between their shoulder blades to confirm your suspicions – this individual was an Uchiha. Your heart skipped a beat as your mind raced with a million thoughts all within a single moment.

_Uchiha? But most of them are dead! Oh, wait. They’re all still alive because of me, remember? Is this one friendly? The last time I encountered an adult Uchiha, they kidnapped and almost murdered me – until Obito rescued me._

You gasped at the sudden remembrance of your best friend, simultaneously noticing the short, spiky hair covering the back of the Uchiha’s head.

_No way. Is that…?_

Your sharp intake of breath seized the Uchiha’s attention, their towering form tensing up at your feminine sound, their back still facing you.

“…Obito…?”

Upon your inquiry, the tall figure turned to face you. The surroundings around you slowed to a halt as your focus rested entirely on the Uchiha’s face – your best friend’s face.

“Hey,” Obito tried muttering casually, but the shakiness in his voice alerted you of his true sentiments.

You couldn’t believe it. Obito managed to get here before you, and he looked so… different. He’d left his goggles and headband behind. The purple cloak he was wearing looked identical to the one he wore as an adult in the original show, but that was so long ago. You were shocked to see him wearing it now. It made him appear older. Mature. Like an Uchiha.

Obito watched your eyes as they trailed along his attire, prompting a blush to blossom on his cheeks.

“If you’re wondering about the clothes, Minato-sensei said I should look presentable for this.”

_Look presentable to get ice cream?_

No. You knew what he meant.

“Obito… you look…”

“I know, it’s a really old style from my clan,” Obito remarked with uneasiness. He regretted dressing differently to meet with you. Perhaps traditional was a tad much.

“Yeah… it looks great on you!”

Obito perked up at your words. “Huh?”

“You didn’t say that you were hiding this from me! Are you going to wear it more often?”

Obito watched you with a mix of surprise and intrigue before his eyes eased into a heartfelt content.

“You know what? I think I will.”

 

* * *

 

The two of you traveled around the village, ice cream in hand – using the treat in front of you as a distraction to avoid bringing up the topic that you knew was heavy on both of your minds. Obito had gotten the special new flavor he’d been itching to try, but all his mind focused on was the tension between the two of you. If he were asked, he wouldn’t be able to recall the taste of it that night.

A twinge on your cheek distracted you further and you lifted your hand to relieve the urge by scratching at the mark – only for you to hiss in pain when you realized that you had irritated the cut on your cheekbone, the one you received from Obito’s harsh punch to your face during your eye-opening fight with him.

Watching the whole thing, Obito’s entire posture dropped, guilt harrowing his features as he turned his down casted head to the ground in front of him.

“…I didn’t want to do it.” His low but meager voice directed your attention to Obito in curiosity.

“What do you –“

Obito snapped his head in your direction in silence before you could finish, his sulky eyes blatantly regarding the wound he inflicted on you.

“Oh… that,” is all you could come up with under his scrutiny.

Obito was referring to more than just the cut on your cheekbone. The sheer torture that afflicted Obito during that fight with you was unbearably overwhelming for him, but he did it for you. You became stronger because of it. You knew this.

“Don’t worry about it. Please.”

Obito’s sorrowful expression remained unchanged.

“You know, Obito… I didn’t get the chance to thank you for accepting my challenge earlier. I love that you respect my skills enough to go all out on me. I know that it wasn’t an easy thing to do, seeing how I couldn’t find it in me to go through what you did. I may have the upper hand in protection, but on all other levels, you beat me with your phenomenal willpower. I hope that you grew from our fight, too.”

Obito’s entire body lit up in realization. He went against what his brain told him during that fight and went with his heart instead. All he wanted was for you to recognize your skills and grow into a better shinobi from it. It was right then that Obito realized that you shared his goal, but you concentrated on his development while he focused on yours. Both of you became stronger people from that fight. Obito mentally kicked himself for not seeing your intentions for him earlier. From the bottom of his heart, Obito truly couldn’t ask for a more thoughtful and kindhearted partner.

Obito’s walking pattern synchronized with yours as he followed you down a path you two don’t travel through often. You thought that it was unusual, but something inside of you insisted that this was the right path to go down.

 

* * *

 

The path led you to a familiar opening; the evening sun’s gentle and placid luminescence allowed you to recognize it clearly. You and Obito strolled stiffly, cramped with anticipation, through the area where you first learned about his feelings for you. It was then you understood why this place felt so familiar. It was the same spot where Obito stumbled upon you as children over a decade ago, the pond that transported you to this world was in clear view a short distance away.

You directed your line of sight from that pond over to a nearby bench surrounded by cherry blossom trees – their branches lacking the ravishing pink petals as they had already blossomed and faded away with the change in season. You cautiously sat down, waiting for your best friend to join you – only for him to idle in place with reluctance radiating off his body. You presented Obito with a puzzled look as one of his arms reached behind and fidgeted against his back. He intentionally avoided your gaze, his mouth hidden under the elevated collar of his Uchiha cloak. Clearly, he wanted to do something.

You brushed the spot next to you to remove the wilted petals off the wooden seat, the noise finally attracting Obito’s sullen attention back to you. Your hand then stopped and rested against the spot it was just clearing, and with your eyes shifting to Obito, they silently pleaded with him to soothe your loneliness by accompanying the space beside you.

He examined your expression carefully, and with a subtle, defeated sigh, he removed the hand from behind his back and joined you. As Obito sat, his body went rigid, his eyes saturated with regret as if he were internally reprimanding himself over something.

The atmosphere was pleasantly warm. The incandescent glow of the sun gradually faded, evidence of it only indicated through the pink hue of the clouds that its pacifying rays traced over between transitioning from evening to night. Distinct sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking derived from the nearby pond; its resonance saved you from what would otherwise be suffocating, overpowering silence. In the back of his mind, Obito was relieved that the park was vacant, despite the torturous solitude being a byproduct of the fact. He wanted to talk with you, _personally._

You and Obito held yourselves restlessly; a noticeable gap between your bodies prevented either one of you from voicing first. The comforting buffer for the anticipated discussion in the form of ice cream was no longer an option, either. Your empty hand gripped at the other anxiously, your fingers stroking the back of your other hand in a futile attempt to calm your nerves. Closing your eyes and with your mouth in a straight line, you initiated the talk.

 “…I know why you did it.”

“….”

“…You pushed me to my limit in that fight… because you wanted me to be stronger, but…”

“….”

“You did it for another reason… right?”

You didn’t want to say it. The heat of the moment took over in that fight. You heard Obito loud and clear when he screamed out how he truly felt about you, but you wanted to hear it again. You wanted to be certain that your love-struck mind didn’t just perceive his words into what you’ve wanted to hear for as long as you could remember.

“You already know,” is all Obito could muster the courage to say; neither one of you could look in each other’s direction.

“So all this time… and it was _me_ ,” you voiced in a daunted whisper, still full of disbelief and finally acknowledging the enlightening conversation that transpired that fateful morning at the very pond currently occupying your field of vision.

“Obito,”

“….”

“You already know how I feel, too. Don’t you?”

Obito forced his quaking head toward your direction, peering down at you for the first time since he sat down with you. He took notice of the painful blush permeating your features, and your eyebrows that told of your battle to express your deeply rooted thoughts and feelings to him. It was the same debilitating internal struggle he was going through too, Obito realized. A blossom of comfort veiled over him for the first time that evening over knowing that you were sharing the fear with him - he wasn’t alone. He never felt alone with you.

_This is (y/n),_ Obito thought to himself. She’s the same (y/n) he’s known for a majority of his life. The (y/n) who’s always had his back, the girl who wanted to become a better ninja – a better person – _for him_. (y/n), who has been nothing but loyal, harboring unwavering faith in his dream, felt nothing but pure, genuine, adoration for her best friend. Obito had no reason to be so distraught about what was to come. He knew you would never abandon him, and he returned that sentiment for you just as powerfully.

With that recognition, Obito reached into his purple cloak with growing confidence and loosened the tie holding in place the object that had been protruding from his back. His hand retreated from his gown, fetching with him a small bouquet of your favorite flowers before gingerly offering them to you.

The sudden sweet gesture from your best friend caught you completely off guard. Observing the rather squished pedals, you noticed that they must have crushed together from meshing against Obito’s back all evening. It was like Obito for his romantic intentions to come off as incredibly dorky, but he was clearly trying so hard for you. The flowers looked fresh as if they were specifically hand-cut and wrapped mere hours before.

Obito studied your amazement at his gift before closing his eyes and lightly chuckling out of nervousness, “It’s not a big deal… I just saw them and remembered how they’re your favorite,” he partially told the truth. Obito went of his way to find these flowers for you.

“Should I consider this as your present to me for becoming a Jonin?” you joked, seeking to lessen the thick tension around you two.

At that, Obito blinked at you in silence, unsure on how to respond. His forehead wrinkled and twisted upwards in anxious confusion while a drop of sweat rolled down his cheek. Was this not what he was supposed to do?

Seeing how your jesting utterly flopped, you switched tactics and decided to lean into the tension head-on instead.

“Obito, I… have a gift for you, too. It’s something I’ve wanted to give you… for so… _so_ long…” you murmured, barely in an audible whisper, “but… I couldn’t.”

“To tell you the truth… I tried so hard to protect my heart from my growing feelings for you, Obito. I was so scared of letting myself fall for you any further.”

At that, Obito’s worrisome expression alleviated to a softhearted one; he peered down at you with his dark, impassioned eyes… and listened intently.

“Obito… I never thought I had a chance with you. You’re so kindhearted and passionate for the people around you – you are everything I’ve always wanted to be, but I always felt like I didn’t deserve you. I wasn’t worth your loyalty, your friendship - your _love_. It took me until now to finally accept that I was wrong. You helped me gain the confidence to finally see that I have nothing to fear from this. I know that you will always cherish me… always cherish _us_.”

Slowly and cautiously, your body eased closer to your best friend, his eyes never leaving you. Trepidation flooded his entire body, but Obito silently admired you for opening yourself up to him so intimately.

So vulnerable.

Overcome with his own blooming feelings for you, his body and mind flourished to such a unique intensity as he watched you begin to close the narrowing gap between the two of you.

“I’m blessed to have ever met you, Obito. That’s why I want these feelings to grow. I want them to grow with you. I’m ready to let our bond grow even stronger. I know this is the right thing to do… because…”

Your grip on the bouquet tensed involuntarily. Time ceased to flow for the both of you.

“….”

“I’m in love with you, Obito.”

“….”

“For as long as I’ve known you…”

“….”

 “…I have _always_ loved you.”

Silence. The only distinguishable sense came from the intrusive pounding emanating from both you and Obito’s chest, the intense, blooming heat overriding any other perception.

“So my gift to you…”

A tender palm slid over to the hand tensing against his thigh, devotedly connecting your fingers with his.

“I want to finally surrender… and entrust you with my heart. It’s fragile, but I know you’ll take care of it. I only ask in return that you share yours with me. I promise that I’ll nurture it, just like how you’ve nurtured me… all this time.”

Obito sensed the passion and sincerity in your words through the heartened squeeze delivered by the hand gripping his.

“I meant every word I said that night. You truly are everything to me, Obito. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life.”

Obito observed your genuine features, his eyes fastened with exalted awe. The illuminating pink sky helped to conceal the matching rosy flush on his cheeks from the heartfelt declaration pouring directly from your soul.

Finally, his expression eased. It was his turn to respond. Obito’s eyes left yours in favor of your joined hands on his lap as he reflected on everything that had happened in his life – from childhood to now.

“When I was a kid… I always thought I had everything figured out. I made it my dream to surpass the Uchiha Clan… to strengthen the bonds in our village… to finally become Hokage… but… if we’re being honest with each other…”

“….”

“I was always so scared, (y/n). Afraid that I could never be the best, or even be a decent ninja. Even though I never stopped trying, I felt like no one truly believed in me. It was all so clear to me then.”

Obito’s eyes softened, his gentle smile framed the radiant glow on his face.

“Then you came into my life. You make me feel like I can do anything, (y/n).”

Your head tilted slightly in adoration as you watched the one you love reciprocate your feelings with mutual trust and vulnerability.

“It’s funny… I even tried to stop myself from… falling for you, too. I’ll be honest again. I was terrified of failing as a ninja, but… I admit that… my biggest fear, (y/n)…”

 “…is losing you.”

Obito’s entire face dwindled; his frown and forlorn eyes openly displayed the shattering of his heart from reflecting on such an inconceivable notion.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you. I always thought, what if I gave in and finally told you? What if I messed up, and I never saw you again? I tried, but I couldn’t do it, (y/n). Then, I almost did lose you… on our first real mission together. After that, I couldn’t deny that feeling… that warmth you brought to my heart. It just took me a little longer to admit what it truly was… and then, I finally accepted it. I finally realized… that…”

He broke his gaze from your joined hands to reconnect with your blurred eyes, with tears evident in his own.

“You’re my everything, too.”

Your eyes widened as a powerful rush of indescribable joy rippled through your body, with your thumping heart absorbing the most of its pleasing waves.

“I want you to be by my side when I become Hokage. I… I want you there with me… as my partner.”

Obito’s eyebrows scrunched and he faintly shook his head in dissatisfaction for a swift moment.

“No, it’s more than that. I need you in my life, (y/n). I know you are now, but I mean… even more than just a partner. I want you in my life… not just as my sparring partner, or teammate, or even as my best friend.”

Obito subconsciously stroked his thumb across the back of your hand as he considered his upcoming words.

“I…”

“….”

“I want you to be my life partner. Deep down, I’ve always known… that you’re the other half of me. I love you, (y/n).”

You had no words to reply. After pouring his heart out to you, Obito’s intense gaze descended to your slightly parted lips. In his eyes, a deep longing scorched within them, urging him, begging him to act. He began to lean with caution before pausing - watching your body language intently, waiting for a telltale signal imploring him to draw himself closer. You responded by slowly leaning toward Obito as well, meeting him halfway and ultimately sealing the slim gap separating your bodies. The two silhouettes on the ground delicately merged into one as you formally secured what you two could only describe as an eternally beautiful relationship with whom you once called your best friend, the one you feel tranquil in allowing access to your heart, the one you’d happily give your life to protect.

The love residing deep within your soul blossomed to life once your yearning lips locked with his. Obito welcomed you and he engaged in your intimate embrace in a matching fervid but careful earnest. Countless nights did his mind wander to the morning where he first learned the taste of you. Anxiousness plagued Obito’s body that day. Oftentimes he would drift to sleep pondering the exhilaration in expressing his love to you without that aching distraction emanating from his chest. He now knew. That timid anxiety began to evaporate steadily once his senses were again flooded with the familiar comfort of you: Your scent, your skin, your spirit. Every little trace of your heart and soul was gifted to him through the pleasant union of your lips. You offered everything you had to Obito, and he joyously matched your gift by exchanging with you every exquisite feeling he carried for you, as much as a tender, wordless embrace could allow.

In a fervent attempt to somehow draw each other closer, Obito guided the hands interlaced together from his lap to your face and brushed your cheek with his palm in a slow, intentional caress, emulating the way you stroked his the first time your lips bonded. A bold move from the Uchiha, but your hand rested atop his while doing so, supporting and guiding his actions, pressing his hand against your cheek and inspiring him to grow bolder. With his hand, he told you how long he’d wanted to touch you, to hold you, to embrace you in a way no one else could. With his lips, Obito conveyed that you were his light. His moon. His soulmate. He told you this as your gentle hand slipped past his ear to delicately curve within the dark roots of Obito’s hair – a touch that was tenderhearted but laced with passion, and you used that hand to press his head insistently to coax his body closer to yours, to which he timidly but happily complied. Any remainder of cracked barriers and fractured walls came crashing down, indicated through the deepening of the action – two heads twisting, lips brushing, saliva mingling, chakra flaring, hearts bonding. It gave everything away.

Obito loves you, his quivering mouth silently told yours, and your lips responded, declaring you love him right back.

The deep connection between your lips and souls separated momentarily, allowing you and Obito to recover your breath. You took that fleeting moment to observe his eyes, the windows to his soul. His eyes that embodied the proud heritage of the Uchiha. His Sharingan had activated in the heat and torridity of the moment, of love and passion. Those blazing, expressive eyes emitted equal vitality as his touch did. They reflected his prolonged yearning, his romantic satiation, and his unwavering certainty - relishing in its thrilling energy and fulfillment of feeling serenely and irrevocably whole with you.

Deep crimson eyes, red as blood, inspected yours intently. Chakra masked your face, both his and your own. The color of his chakra was a brilliant light blue, comparable to the sky on a cloudless, smoldering hot day, only his chakra burned hotter. The source of its blaring intensity originating from the unparalleled rapture of pure, requited love that had been covertly nurtured and strengthened, yet repressed over time, but divinely unleashed at long last. His chakra shimmered, laced with virility, insurmountable strength, and awakened love in its purest form as it melded in with yours. Your chakra glistened in a deep, modest green, akin to healthy flowers in the spring as they sprout from the earth, ready to blossom with the aid of the heated sun, provided by that light blue sky; putting every ounce of your trust in his supportive but intense nature. Conversely, the blossoming garden and the grounding nature of your soul ensure a sturdy and nurturing balance to his fiery and volatile personality.

Earth and Fire elements, both powerful and unstoppable forces in nature, had triumphantly collided that evening. Two spirits with intense passion for one another rivaled the explosive nature of a raging volcano that erupts in fluttering, unrelenting waves when such two powerful elements finally unite and weave as one. No longer shackled by debilitating aversion to prospected consequences, you and Obito encouraged your deep affections to intertwine and take root joyously after painfully suppressing the urge for so long. The feeling of finally letting go and allowing each other into your hearts… it felt sublime.

Obito felt the presence of your unique chakra signature over his own body where you grasped at him in tight, insurmountable ravishment. This, coupled with the recognition that he’d unintentionally activated his Sharingan, prompted the scorching bloom in his cheeks to deepen and spread further. He made all of these observations within a single moment, before you two embraced again – gentle this time.

Bodies and hearts full of life. Full of love. The thriving, exquisite reunion of your joined lips sincerely declared to each other without question or reservation:

_Not a single day has passed…_

_Where I didn’t dream of this moment…_

_I’ve never felt more certain…_

_You’re the one._


	25. Misguided Judgement

“Begin preparation for the procedure. I believe our subject is ready for experimentation.”

Confined within the depths of an undiscovered location, a roaming shinobi remained strapped to an operating table surrounded by scalpels, vials and tools of various shapes and sizes.

“Let us review your information gathering skills before you set off on your mission in the Hidden Leaf, Kabuto,” a mysterious voice instructed as a slimy, repulsive hand began puncturing the skin of the nameless and now screaming ninja.

“I am to infiltrate the Chunin Exams as I’ve done six times before, to gather intel on the village’s newest shinobi forces. We will find one that is compatible with your high standards and expectations.”

The evil and pale being smirked, “That’s a good boy. Leave this subject to me and go prepare for your mission. I look forward to the fresh bodies the Hidden Leaf has to offer. Do not disappoint me, Kabuto.”

“Yes, Lord Orochimaru.”

* * *

 

“So when they specifically requested _me_ to take on a group of students, I looked at them like they were crazy,” you chatted casually with Obito while sauntering alongside him to the training grounds. “I’m not good with children, so I don’t think I could handle it. It’s not that I don’t _like_ kids, but I don’t think that I would have the patience for it – so it wouldn’t be fair to the students if they were stuck with a good-for-nothing sensei who doesn’t know what the heck she’s doing.”

“You say that as if you’re so sure about it, (y/n). Yet Kakashi of all people accepted the position to become a sensei. If even he can do it, then you’d have no trouble being one. But still… Kakashi-sensei… who would’ve thought,” Obito replied with a hint of fascination in his voice. He secretly admired Kakashi’s new role as a certified sensei. Something about passing skills along to the next generation earnestly appealed to Obito.

“It’s almost as weird as when he first invited me out for barbeque, like he had an instant change of heart and started to respect me,“ he added. “I don’t get how he works. Sometimes it feels like he’s just playing one big joke on me.”

You subtly exhaled in amusement over Obito’s puzzlement – since you knew the reason for Kakashi’s total 180 was a result of you pivotally bonding with him over your speech eight years ago.

“Well, what about you? Did you respond to the Hokage’s request to become a sensei, Obito?”

“Nah. I really should focus on becoming the next Hokage first.”

“But every Hokage so far has been a sensei before moving up in ranks. It might look good for you to take on a team.“

“I have a hard enough time just keeping _you_ in check,” Obito jested while wrapping one arm around your shoulder to pull you against his side while you laughed playfully.

The training ground was soon within range and you and Obito’s stroll faltered to scout out the newest rookies from a distance.

_There they are. The Rookie Nine. Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Choji, everyone from the original show is here. I’m surprised that my meddling didn’t stop any of them from being born._

You inwardly cringed and shook off the morbid notion.

Then the familiar, vibrant blond hair of Naruto Uzumaki drew your attention – along with Sasuke, Sakura and, of course, Kakashi- _sensei._

You chuckled to yourself for referring to him with that name. After knowing him since childhood, the prospect of Kakashi now being qualified as a teacher filled you with a strange profoundness, as if things were coming full-circle.

“So Obito, what do you think of the new batch so far? Can they take care of the village?”

Obito switched his momentary attention from you to the rowdy kids in the field in front of him. He watched Kakashi’s group right as a tick mark appeared on Sakura’s head before she delivered an exaggerated punch to Naruto’s face, sending him flying backwards and crashing headfirst into a tree, utterly demolishing it while Kakashi scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes out of uneasiness, to which Obito replied,

“We’re doomed.”

* * *

 

Months went by without incident, though you couldn’t help but still analyze your past choices constantly to discern what other tragic events you could possibly prevent from ever happening in this world – which was difficult seeing how things are so drastically different from the show already. You kept a mental checklist: Minato successfully negotiated peace with the Uchiha Clan. Check. The Nine-Tails is still locked securely within Naruto’s mother. Double check. Obito is still here with you. That one’s a definite check. Everything appears to be in order, and yet, you couldn’t shake off the feeling that you were forgetting something…

“So, it’s a super-secret solo mission, huh?”

Obito nodded earnestly. “They’ve been assigning me more and more solo missions lately. I think they’re finally testing to see if I’m cut out for Hokage!”

“Oh, of course that’s what they’re doing! They might as well start prepping your face for the Hokage Rock! I’m so excited for you, Obito!”

He peered down at you and smiled so sincerely while you walked him to the village gates. Even after being together for so long, the gentle manner in which Obito looked at you with a special gleam in his eyes never ceased in sending pleasing and fluttering waves through your heart. And yet, you returned his expression with your own diminishing one, which immediately summoned Obito’s concern.

“Hey, you shouldn’t be upset that you can’t come with me. We’ve been through worse.”

“It’s not that… I just… haven’t been feeling very good lately. My stomach’s been bugging me and I’ve just been so, _so_ tired... all the time. It’s not like I’ve been going on particularly harsh missions recently or anything,” you muttered and kneaded at your stomach in an attempt to soothe it.

“I’m thinking maybe I’ve been extra drained because of the change in season, like an alternative to allergies or something.”

“It’s never affected you this bad, though.”

“It’s whatever. It just doesn’t help that I’m also… really nervous.”

“Is it about me going by myself again?”

You nodded and mumbled somberly in reluctant confirmation, “You know I have complete faith in you, but… I still can’t help but worry until you get back.”

“I’ll only be gone for maybe a month, or less if my opponents are even bigger pushovers than I’m thinking they are. I’ll be home before you know it.”

You finally exchanged a soft smile with your boyfriend, the sun’s shimmering rays glinting off his forehead protector reminded you of just how capable of a shinobi this Uchiha grew up to be. Soon, the two of you approached the village gates and paused right before the exit.

“Are you positive that you have everything you need?”

“I can’t say that I have _everything_ I need. You know I’m not allowed to bring you along with me,” Obito stated in an adoringly snarky tone to which you covered your mouth to stifle a modest giggle. Afterwards, the two of you went silent, the only sound coming from the birds chirping just outside the village border. Without needing any prompting, your body huddled against Obito’s, with your arms wrapping around his back and your head pressed tightly against his chest in a tight embrace.

“I’m really going to miss you.”

That’s when you noted how Obito’s body was strangely shaking from your touch. That was rather odd. After being together for so long, it had become difficult to fluster Obito anymore with something as simple as a hug.

“You know you're allowed to hold me, right?"

"I... I know that,” he replied while encasing you in his arms carefully to pry your body slightly off his to alleviate the pressure on his chest. “It's just... I just still can't believe that I'm the one who gets to do this."

"Well, of course you can! Being together for eight years means getting to do things like this!"

"I-I know..?!"

You finally released your flustered boyfriend from your tight hold, with him regaining his composure shortly after.

“You know I’ll miss you too.” He finally responded appropriately to your touch by enfolding both arms around your waist to rest against your back and inched you a bit closer to plant a sweet, affectionate kiss against your forehead. “And that I love you.”

You peered up at Obito, offered a humble smirk, and murmured, “So much?”

His eyes went half-lidded and he returned your gentle grin, and with his palm lifting up to stroke your cheek, he replied softly, “So much.”

As you waved Obito farewell, your mind couldn’t help but fixate on Obito’s reaction while holding him. You had to have hugged Obito hundreds of times by now, but you haven’t seen him tense that badly from the simple gesture in years. You hoped that it was just because of nerves from being assigned a solo A-rank mission. Speaking of which, you were allotted to a high-ranked mission as well. Once Obito’s figure was out of sight, you left for home to prepare.

* * *

 

“Get ready, (y/n). She’s making her way around the corner. You know what to do,” your teammate instructed you with confidence in his tone.

You and Asuma Sarutobi were on a dual mission to track down and apprehend a spy accused of selling off village secrets to other nations. The mission had taken weeks, but the suspect was finally within sight. It was time to move. You leapt from the nearby roof with Asuma following you shortly after. The woman soon fell into the trap you had laid out, where her feet began to plummet into the sinkhole you had conjured up. You and Asuma surrounded her by the time the sand reached to her thighs.

“Alright, give it up. We know what you’ve been doing,” Asuma stated. “Just hand over the stolen secrets and let us escort you peacefully so this doesn’t have to get ugly.”

At that, the woman’s once innocent expression morphed into angry contempt as she formed hand signs to transform herself into a shadow. She escaped your sand trap and reshaped a few meters from you only to dash away.

_What? Is she from the Nara Clan? But I’ve never seen them use their shadow jutsu like that!_

You had no time to ponder the Nara Clan’s secrets since Asuma then ordered you to chase after her. You dashed as quickly as you could and found yourself inching closer to the woman’s increasingly exhausted form. You were within her grasp and you outstretched your arm to clutch a fist-full of her flowing black hair – only for an unanticipated feeling to overtake your body. A sudden wave of nausea struck you, causing you to lose focus and lag behind. Ignoring the sickening feeling, you increased your pace and lunged for her – only to miss and collide harshly with the ground in the grimy alleyway. The woman turned her head while running and smiled triumphantly at you before turning the corner – never to be seen again.

Meanwhile, you situated on the ground, glued in place from the debilitating sickness that had unexpectedly flooded your body. Your teammate emerged before you, silent, and disappointed. You struggled to your feet before planting a hand firmly against the adjacent wall and panted heavily – trying desperately to restrain the bile that wanted to expel from your body. “We can still… chase after her… just give me… a minute.”

“It’s no use. Her chakra signature’s long gone, and with that shadow ability she could be anywhere by now. I’m not going to be the one who writes the report explaining why we failed the mission,” Asuma stated rather apathetically. He had every right to be unimpressed. Such a fumble was inexcusable for a ninja of your level.

The trudge to the office was an agonizing one, both physically and mentally. You took deliberate unhurried steps to ease your upset stomach, the massive weight of guilt and shame burdening your shoulders.

_What will Obito think when he gets back and finds out I failed…?_

“It’s not so bad, (y/n),” Asuma finally offered condolences. “At this rate, we’ll make it back to the village just in time to watch my students pass this year’s Chunin Exams.”

“Your students? You mean the Ino-Shika-Cho group?”

“That’s them! They’ve get real potential, I tell you,” he replied while casually lighting a cigarette.

“Wow. The rookies are almost done with the Chunin Exams already? That’s crazy. Time is flying by…”

….

_….Wait a minute._

_The Chunin Exam. This is the Chunin Exam where the village gets attacked and the Hokage is killed… by Orochimaru!_

“Oh my god!” you exclaimed in pure fright, startling Asuma into almost dropping his lighter.

“We need to go see the Hokage! _”_

“Well gee, (y/n). I know we’ve been at this for weeks now but there really isn’t that much of a ru-“

“We need to go, _right now!”_ Desperation muddled your throat, but something else filled it soon after. Out of instinct, you groaned and bent over to void what was in your stomach after trying extensively to keep it in. The exhaustive mission coupled with the throbbing anxiety of remembering Orochimaru’s imminent invasion overwhelmed your body into finally releasing the sickness within.

* * *

 

Obito’s mission had conversely progressed admirably well. Returning to the village should require only a few more days, but he halted the journey to rest for the night. As Obito gazed up at the starry night sky, his mind wandered to the close call from when you pressed firmly against him before he departed for the mission. He was tense that day, not because of you touching him, but rather, from you nearing extremely close to detecting the object concealed within his village jacket’s front pocket. Like every other night since he left, he withdrew a ring from his pocket and inspected it intently before attentively fidgeting with it between his fingers in deep thought. Its design was simple. The slender gold band complimented the modestly sized red-tinted diamond swathed delicately in place by thin gold tendrils.

It wasn’t necessary for couples in the Hidden Leaf Village to propose or wear rings, but Obito wanted this to be special. How else could he display his deep fondness for you but with a physical embodiment of his love wrapped around your finger?

Obito sighed. He’d been carrying this ring for years now. Every instance he’d plan to propose would be interrupted in some way – a date would get cancelled to oblige an emergency mission, or the beautiful array of the outside surroundings – perfect for romantic intent – where he’d never get the chance to fulfill due to always running into someone. Whether they are Rin, Kakashi, or even Might Guy troubling you with some gratuitous challenge, which Obito for the life of him never understood why you’d eagerly accept without fail. If he were honest with himself, Obito had also been dancing around the subject because he was _scared._ He knew there was no reason to be, but Obito found that familiar feeling of giddy nervousness rise from within each time his fingers brushed against the delicate metal in his pocket when in your proximity. Finding the resolve to make such a life-changing decision was the easy part. Actually popping the question is an entirely new challenge for the battleworn Uchiha.

* * *

 

The crowd bellowed in a blend of excitement and anticipation, their roars echoing through the brimful colosseum. Villages from all five nations assembled to the Hidden Leaf to speculate the conclusion of this year’s Chunin Exams. Everyone was present – Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Temari, Shikamaru, _everyone_. The final round will determine which ninja is qualified to become a reliable leader – a Chunin. Identical to the show, the Kazekage was attending the exam in the flesh in response to the Hokage’s request, to act as a gesture of civil comradeship between the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand villages. He rested next to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze – who was completely oblivious to the potential mercy he and the village was in by the wretched individual perched mere feet away from him.

The distant sound of abundant cheering soon made contact with your ears as you panted and huffed closer to the stadium, utterly desperate to warn the Hokage of the unstable Sannin who killed and impersonated the Kazekage, who could strike at any moment.

_I can’t believe I overlooked the famous ambush on the village that ended the Hokage’s life! Everything is so different now and time just flew right by – I mean, Naruto is already 12 years old! I have to hurry. Orochimaru won’t wait any longer!_

“This year’s candidates display promising potential,” the Kazekage passively noted to Minato while observing the battle between Gaara and Sasuke intently, to which he nodded firmly in agreement. Before he could properly respond, the fixture below the Kazekage shifted rapidly before encasing him in a thick, impenetrable wall of solid stone, shielding the stadium and the Hokage from his anticipatory assassination.

The scene immediately disrupted the match transpiring below as everyone’s attention snapped toward the inconceivable activity occurring within dangerous proximity of innocent bystanders.

Minato was instantly confused. As he inspected the earth barrier, he began conjecturing immediately.

_That pattern etched into the barrier, along with the chakra infused within the stone… this is (y/n)’s technique._

Realizing this, Minato pressed his index finger to the ground and focused on your chakra to determine your location before directing his attention down to your panting, disheveled form occupying the middle of the stadium.

“I made it. I can’t believe… that I made it in time,” you huffed between breaths. Just then, the crowd’s confusion transformed into anger as they began shouting down at you, with some people going so far to threaten you for ‘attacking’ the Kazekage and interrupting the match. In any other instance, such attention would be shameful and embarrassing, and while it still was, you had no choice but to act. To your relief, Minato flashed to your location in an instant. You smiled, comforted that Minato can assist you with disposing of Orochimaru, but instead, you were greeted with a scathing glare that caught you completely off guard, immediately shrinking the hopeful smirk off your face.

“M-Minato-sensei. Thank goodness I got here in time. The Kazekage, he’s-“

“Release him.”

“Wh-what…? No, I can’t, Minato-sensei! The entire village is at -”

“(y/n). Retract your barrier, or I’ll have no other option than to force you.”

Your entire expression dropped at Minato’s atypical assertiveness toward you. Surely, Minato of all people would understand your impulsive actions… right?

Before you could undo your jutsu, large cracks formed along the protective barrier before it shattered apart, with an irate Kazekage emerging from within.

"What is the meaning of this?! Is this shinobi from _your_ village, Hokage?!”

At that, the stadium grew silent. A group of ANBU members then materialized around you before seizing your arms with a chakra-locking device.

“Minato-sensei, am I… in trouble?”

Silence. He couldn’t even look in your direction.

“B-but wait, let me explain! That’s not the Kazekage! That’s Orochimaru! He assassinated the real Kazekage and invaded his body so he could sneak in and destroy the village! You have to stop him, Minato-sensei!”

“WHAT?! How _dare_ you assert such a claim? Is this the class of shinobi the Hidden Leaf Village is entrusted with?!”

“Lord Kazekage, with all due respect, I can –“

“You should lose your position for even authorizing this pathetic woman as a shinobi, _Hokage_!”

Deeply hurt by the Kazekage’s words, you directed your attention to Minato only to find his expression blank and unreadable.

“Please understand, Lord Kazekage. With such a serious affirmation, the village has no choice but to investigate this issue further. We need to thoroughly examine you and assemble all available shinobi to form a squad and put the village under lockdown until we can confirm if the village is under threat…”

Minato’s eyes narrowed in deep thought.

“…which means the Chunin Exams are canceled.”

His statement generated an unmanageable uproar within the crowd.

“What’d he say?”

“Cancel the exams? Is he crazy?!”

“It’s all because of that Leaf Ninja. They should lock her up for threatening our Kazekage!”

The packed stadium began to rile up once more in a mix of booing at you for disrupting the match and cheering that you were now within custody.

“I-I’m sorry… I… I had to do it…” you murmured to the crowd, knowing full well that they couldn’t hear your ashamed muttering. Not that they would care about what you had to say anyway.

One ANBU member grasped at your arm, “Let’s go.”

“Huh? Go where?”

“It’s protocol to keep suspects incarcerated until they are clear of all charges.”

“Ch-charges? Charges for what?”

“My guess is to determine if your intent was to assassinate the Kazekage.”

“What?! Of course that wasn’t my intent! Minato-sensei can vouch for me… right, sensei? You know I’d never…” Your words trailed off with the expectation that Minato would step in to assist you, but he didn’t. He stood there, straight-faced, still unable to address you directly.

“Minato-sensei…?”

The ANBU members began dragging you off.

“Minato-sensei! Tell them I wouldn’t…!”

An inkling of conflict and regret was spotted within the stoic eyes of the village leader standing upright as you got taken away; as if he knew you had reason for acting so uncharacteristically, but he still couldn’t excuse it. Not here.

The crowd applauded your departure.

“ _Minato-sensei_!”

* * *

 

The chamber that contained you was dark and dreary. You sat up in your flimsy cot and wrapped your arms around your bent knees as a pathetic form of offering yourself consolation, the cuffs binding you rattled in doing so. You spent hours in mental agony over what had transpired that day, what you had done – and Minato’s response to it. You couldn’t believe Minato would allow you to be thrown in here like some criminal.

_Well, maybe I technically am a criminal after what I did to the Kazekage… but I had to! The village may be under lockdown, but Minato is still alive because I stopped Orochimaru from trying to kill him. That’s right! He’s alive because of me. Naruto… he still has a family._

You smiled in what felt like concentrated bliss for the first time in weeks, until a boiling wave of discomfort promptly seized your stomach again. Nausea.

_No, not again,_ was your last thought before your stomach forcefully ejected it contents, which was admittedly not much due to skipping meals in your haste to ‘rescue’ the village.

_Why does this keep happening to me…?_

Immediately after, you heard the sound of numerous mechanisms unlocking your cell and you scrambled to wipe the bile remnants from your mug before it eased open with a sickening screeching noise to reveal the Fourth Hokage standing before you. ANBU bodyguards saturated him – both his left and right. The two of you studied each other for a few moments, his stern look overpowering your pleading one, before he wordlessly signaled for his guards to disperse.

“Are you sure, Lord Hokage? This criminal is unpredictable –“

Being referred to as some lowlife village offender pierced your heart.

He somehow knew this, and Minato responded with an even colder stare in the ANBU’s direction. Without another word, they phased away and left you two alone.

“I’m guessing you’re here to interrogate me,” you stated rather numbly to who you thought was your friend.

Minato took note of the implications behind your tone. He was afraid this would happen.

“I’m here to assess your side of the story, not that it excuses what had happened-“

“What _happened_?!” you interjected. “I did what I _had_ to do to save the village, Lord Hokage!”

"What you did could have been considered as an attempted assassination of the Kazekage."

“But you know I would never do something like that! You could’ve defended me back there…! But you didn’t… instead, you betrayed me… and let them take me away in front of everyone…” Words began leaving your throat in a stuttering mess as tears pooled in your eyes. “I’ve never been so embarrassed, Minato-sensei. Now the whole village thinks I’m some S-rank criminal. Just... why? Why did you let them take me, Minato-sensei…? I was only trying to…”

Your candid display of vulnerability softened Minato’s expression slightly.

“I don’t need to explain to you the importance of maintaining peace between the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand villages. Tension has risen between the two nations ever since the finances of the Hidden Sand had reached critical levels. I invited the Kazekage to attend this rotation of the Chunin Exams to strengthen our bond – and you put this developing trust at risk, (y/n).”

“But it’s not the Kazekage, Minato-sensei! It’s Orochimaru! He murdered the real Kazekage and was going to attack the village! I saw it! I was only trying to protect the village!”

“And I was doing the same. That’s another reason why I needed to see you. After extensive interrogation, the village has confirmed that the man you encased in your barrier is the true Kazekage, and he is not happy about the ordeal.”

_No. That was the real Kazekage…? I was wrong…?_

“But Orochimaru… where is he? Why didn’t he attack?”

“Orochimaru left the village years ago, (y/n). I’m relieved to see your vigilance for our village, but what happened today may very well be the basis for a fourth great shinobi war.”

An overwhelming ache in your chest overtook your body and shorted out your mind over pondering the possibility of being the root cause of a shinobi war, as more painful tears expelled from your eyes.

Minato stepped deeper into the chamber to offer his condolences to your sobbing form and began showing the signs of remorse that he’d been keeping hidden from you. He knew your intentions were for the sake of the village. You weren’t a criminal.

“Forgive me for allowing my guards to restrain you, (y/n), but Lord Kazekage is not a forgiving leader. Please understand that I had no choice. If I challenged the decision to seize you, then he would likely see to it that _his_ guards would arrest you and demand to be tried in the Sand Village. Seeing how I handled it helped to ease the Kazekage’s anger and opened him up for peace negotiations.”

“….”

“I did what I had to do to potentially save your life, (y/n).”

Your eyes widened at Minato’s reasoning. Even after keeping you here, his intention was to protect you. At that realization, your head lowered in a strangely content defeat and wearily nodded. You felt guilty for ever doubting Minato.

“I’ve cleared you of all charges. You don’t belong in a place like this,” Minato stated calmly while standing back up.

“Please try to understand what was required of me as a Hokage today. Obito will need to learn this if he is to become Hokage as well.”

Your head perked back up at your boyfriend’s name. Minato knew this would catch your attention, and with that, he bent toward you and unlocked the chakra-suppressing brace, but not before looming over you when he saw that you still couldn’t look in his direction. You were scared.

“….”

“…You’re not a criminal, (y/n).”

“….”

“Obito will be so proud of the lengths you would go to protect our village.”

At that, you finally met Minato’s sharp but warm eyes, “You really think so, Minato-sensei?”

He smiled, “Certainly, and so am I.” His expression then shifted to a nervous but friendly one while he sweatdropped, “Just, try not to make such a lasting scene next time, alright?”

Satisfied with his reconciliation with you, Minato allowed you to leave the impound facility to make your way back home, where you still eagerly awaited for Obito’s return from his month-long mission. It could happen any day now.

Maybe _he’s back already? What if he’s there right now and I’m not home when it’s this late?! I was in such a rush this morning that I didn’t bother writing him a note to tell him where I am. He knows I always leave him a note when I suddenly have to go somewhere. Oh man. If he’s back, he’d be freaking out!_

At that, you dashed for home; the prospect of a sweet reunion with your soulmate ensured a swift and unrelenting pace.

* * *

 

The energized pattering of your feet against the ground filled your ears as you continued your trek back home. The route took you to the main area of the village and while it was rather late, the square still harbored numerous villagers doing some last minute errands. You had a wide grin on your face from thinking about reuniting with Obito and hearing everything about his journey. The thoughts of your boyfriend almost distracted you enough to overlook the blatant stares of the villagers from afar, until you dashed by one couple who began muttering something aloud.

“That’s her. She’s the one who ruined the Chunin Exams.”

“Really? Her? How can someone so small cause such a huge problem for us?”

“She must be crazy!”

At that, your hurried steps lessened to a frugal jog, allowing you to perceive what the rest of the villagers were remarking as you passed them by.

“Who let her out of her cell? She should be locked up for good for what she did!”

“Should we call the police force? Is there an Uchiha around who can watch her?”

A solemn weight soon outstripped the once buoyant atmosphere around the village. Deeply hurt by the people of your own community, your pace dwindled to a sluggish trudge while the villagers grew bolder with their verbal assault – choosing to address you directly.

“Hey, girl! Way to spoil the fun for everyone!”

“Don’t you know how hard those Genin worked to get so far in the Exams? Now they have to start all over!”

“You should be ashamed for attacking the Kazekage!”

With your head low, you kept walking. It was no use trying to reason with them. You knew things they didn’t – or at least you thought you did. It was still so hard to believe that Orochimaru hadn’t assassinated and impersonated the Kazekage like what was originally intended, and that you were absolutely, horribly, unbearably wrong.

Your feet took an unexpected turn, likely to escape the wrath of the irate villagers. It was in the opposite direction of your home. Of Obito’s home. Thinking about Obito after the villagers chiseled away at your self-esteem doused your urgency to reunite with him.

_What does he see in someone like me, anyway? What would he think when he finds out about what I’ve done? Minato says he would be proud, but… what if…_

Some villagers were aware of your close relationship with Obito. You were terrified that instead of greeting him warmly on a job well done, they would harass Obito on your behalf. Perhaps the pressure would be great enough for him to abandon you.

The notion stung far worse than any venomous insect could. After what you did today, Obito was the only person you had left. Sure, there was Rin and Kakashi, but you didn’t want to see anyone right now. The shame was too suffocating.

After a while, you mustered the courage to endure the chagrin of the villagers you were trying so hard to protect and reluctantly carried yourself back to Obito’s home – _your_ home.

* * *

 

_But why… why didn’t Orochimaru invade the village? I know I’ve changed so much here, but did I really interfere with Orochimaru’s schemes, too? Does he see Minato more as a threat than Lord Third? Maybe he was too intimidated to attack. That’s so unlike Orochimaru, though..._

You juggled around with these thoughts while you trekked back at an agonizingly slow pace, still entirely apprehensive about going home. You also opted to sneak along a deserted, infrequently used trail along the outskirts of the marketplace to avoid stray and irate passerby. There was no confusion or need for speculation as to why this pathway was abandoned; you were forced to hoist your legs over the innumerable piles of garbage littered throughout the alley, each step you took was accompanied by a repulsive squish of your shoes making direct contact with old refuse.

_So if Orochimaru isn’t planning on attacking the village right now… then I wonder… what is he doing?_

You recalled how years ago the Third Hokage caught Orochimaru experimenting on at least 60 children – 59 of whom woefully perished from his cruel tests. Regret wedged its way into your ever-expanding feelings of sorrow over coming to terms with recognizing that you know all about Orochimaru’s invasive “research,” but have done _nothing_ to stop it.

_Who knows how many innocent people he has captured at this very moment…_

You reached the end of the alleyway and carefully scouted the area and, to your relief, found it entirely devoid of villagers. Your gaze peeked to the distance only for you to freeze in surprise when you saw a shadow approaching – when an individual with grey hair turned around the corner. Your first instinct was to nervously greet who you thought was Kakashi, until you noticed that this person was vastly different. Their grey hair angled downward and was tied back in a loose ponytail. He stood tall and pushed his circular-rimmed glasses into place as he quietly passed by your stiff form.

_That’s Kabuto Yakushi… Orochimaru’s chief aid!_

Kabuto had an extensive history of enrolling in the Chunin Exams for the sole purpose of studying naive Genin to determine who is fit for Orochimaru’s experiments. Tracking Kabuto was an excellent opportunity to locate Orochimaru’s hideout and relay it back to the Hokage. You didn’t have time to inform anyone of your intentions, running into Kabuto seemed like an astronomical chance that would not happen again. You can save so many lives if you followed Kabuto now! Maybe then, the village will understand and forgive you for what you did!

With your mind made up, you allowed a broad distance develop between you two before your ninja skills kicked in and pursued Kabuto incognito in seek of Orochimaru’s base...


	26. Something Extraordinary

Throughout his entire journey, Kabuto took leisurely steps to the village gates, with you tailing him from afar. Your cover was almost blown once or twice from stray villagers attempting to scold you over the ruction of this year’s Chunin Exams, forcing you to break from tracking him momentarily to avoid being detected. It was strange. You knew that Kabuto was a superior spy; it seemed unusual that his skills hadn’t alarmed him to your presence, yet.

The shadowing took forever, but eventually Kabuto paused with his back facing you in the middle of a clearing surrounded by dense trees and flora just within the Land of Fire’s borders.

_Seems like an appropriate place to set up a hideout, with all of the exotic resources around here. Okay, this is enough. I should go report this to the Hoka-_

“Alright, the fun’s over. You should come out now,” Kabuto’s sudden announcement startled you into a standstill.

_H-huh?!_

“Yes, I mean you,” he added while casually whirling to your direction.  “Just know that you don’t have a choice in the matter. There’s no need to make this hard on yourself.”

At that, you scooted out from your hidden spot in the florescent vegetation, trying hard to wear a façade of confidence on your face, but the bead of sweat smoothly rolling down your temple revealed your true reaction.

“My apologies that the trip took so long, it’s a new location, you see. But we’re here.”

_Did… did he know I was following him… the whole time…?_

You slowly approached Kabuto, caution riddled your every step.

“You know who I am… don’t you, Kabuto?”

He raised an eyebrow and stated, “Assuredly, I do to an extent, but I’m afraid I don’t recall ever introducing myself to you.”

_Phew… so that must mean that he doesn’t know **everything** about me._

“Let’s just say I know a lot about you, too, Kabuto. So just let me be on my way. It would be for your own good.”

You may be close to eight years older than Kabuto, but that didn’t stop his posture from displaying that he remained completely unintimidated by your short and meek features.

“Don’t try and fool me with a macho act. Remember, I know who you are. I have intel on everyone in the Hidden Leaf Village.”

“So why did you let me believe that I was tracking you and Orochimaru?”

Kabuto didn’t speak for a moment, as if he were analyzing you even further.

“So you are somehow already aware of my association with Orochimaru? I would’ve never guessed there was a mole within the Hidden Leaf Village, other than me,” Kabuto observed while pressing his pointer finger to the bridge of his glasses to adjust them. “But it doesn’t matter. I find it fascinating that you’d even attempt to track me back to our base. Usually we have to utilize forceful means for our subjects to comply when escorting them."

“E-excuse me?”

Kabuto’s sharp eyes shifted, with his attention instead drawn slightly to your left. His next words chilled you to the bone.

“Ah, you’ve returned just in time… _Lord Orochimaru.”_

* * *

 

Chirping of crickets strewn across the entrance to the village soothed Obito just enough to contain his excitement on a job well done. He could not wait to relay what he had to go through, and all the people he’d met this past month. Other than completing missions and exceeding expectations, his favorite part about being a shinobi was sharing his experiences with you, and vice versa. His opponents proved to be a formidable challenge, to the point where the activation of his Mangekyou Sharingan was necessary. He even unlocked the next level of his Susanoo formation: what started out as a large skeletal entity lightly coated in a thin but powerful layer of cyan aura this time appeared in full armor with nubs protruding in its back implying that he is one step closer to generating the fabled, legendary ‘Perfect Susanoo.’ While the prospect of recounting to you of his new ability and subsequent victory was exhilarating, Obito was frightened of retelling the story. You absolutely _loathed_ when Obito used any of his advanced Sharingan abilities – as it gradually damages the user’s eyes over continuous use, eventually leading to irreversible blindness. Still, perhaps such a long conversation could end with him finally gathering the nerve to ask you, Obito thought, as his fingers instinctively kneaded the circular object snugly fit within his pocket. However, something about walking into the village presented him with an uneasy feeling, as if the entire village was brooding over something. These troubled feelings only grew more powerful the closer he marched to his home. His grandmother had since passed away since you two had been together, and it eventually lead to moving in together. You and Obito have been living in his childhood home, passed down from generations, for a few years now. It’d always bring comfort to Obito’s troubled mind whenever he’d return from a mission and saw lights through the window – indicating that you were home safe.

But Obito soon found that no such easement swathed him upon finding his home dark and desolate.

His mind immediately flooded, thinking the worst has happened to you. These intrusive thoughts persevered and only continued to magnify after every room he searched ended fruitless, evidenced when his once concerned calls for you morphed into shuttering, desperate begs for you to respond. Obito then paused with his body trembling in place. He needed to calm down.

_M-maybe she just went to the store… or s-she’s on an emergency mission. That can happen this late at night. Right? Y-yeah. That’s all it is._

He inhaled a slow, and deep but strained breath before it caught in his throat once more.

 _But (y/n) must’ve left something – anything to let me know she’s safe. She never leaves without letting me know._ Obito attempted to console himself as he struggled to avert his eyes to the kitchen counter, only to his horror to see it vacant of any notes – not even a mess was left behind to indicate that you occupied the home recently.

That’s when he couldn’t take it anymore. With an uncontrollable pounding in his chest and trembling hands, Obito placed the ring he intended for you on the empty bar, shut his eyes and gathered up his chakra to produce an aura to sense yours. His eyebrows twisted in anxious confusion to find traces of your chakra still fresh in the village stadium, with a trail of it leading outside of the building where his senses were cut off – as if there was some barrier was actively blocking his sensory abilities. The distinct sound of a Sharingan activating accompanied Obito when his eyes snapped open in panic.

_No. She can’t be taken again. Not **again**!_

Before Obito could register what he was doing, the area surrounding him began to swirl around his eyes and he allowed his Sharingan to generate a portal to the Kamui dimension to begin his desperate search for you, all while ignoring the searing pain shooting through his eyes from exerting his Mangekyou Sharingan. All Obito could focus on was him begging that he’s not too late…

* * *

 

“Let me go! You have no idea what I know, Orochimaru!”

“I don’t need to remind you of who you’re referring to, (y/n),” Kabuto crept over to you, close enough to where you could feel the warmth of his breath on your cheek, while Orochimaru blatantly ignored your frantic and rather unorthodox pleas. Instead, the ashen brown snakes emanating from where Orochimaru’s arm used to occupy coiled tighter around your struggling torso in response _._ “I will thank you to remember your place among the shinobi ranks,” Kabuto ended with subtle but threatening aggression in his tone. To think you would even _attempt_ to talk down to _Lord Orochimaru_ was an absurd concept. Eventually his snakes unfurled, forcing you to roll into a compact chamber, pure, rusted metal encompassed the walls in its entirety.

“Fortunately for you, other subjects take priority over what you would possibly have to offer me. I will determine if you could be of any potential use once my business is finished with them. Be obedient and stay here, child. Kabuto has informed me of your monotonous Earth Style abilities which could lead to an easy escape if we kept you in a standard enclosure. Until then,” he trailed off as the metal gate creaked and locked behind him.

_Enclosure… as if I’m some wild animal. Orochimaru is disgusting, more than the show ever let on._

Of course, his instructions fell on deaf ears. Immediately you searched for any weak points in the cell upon his departure, only to your chagrin, found none.

_Why, (y/n)… why do you keep putting yourself in these situations…?! I should’ve known better than to try and follow arguably one of the best spies in the entire show._

You cursed at yourself for being unable to manage your irrepressible impulsivity.

_It’s because I always want to protect others… even if it puts me in harm’s way. Those people who Orochimaru said takes priority over me… I can’t imagine the horror they’re going through right now… and who knows what he’ll do to me! Obito’s gone. Nobody knows where I am. I’m… completely alone this time. I- I need to find a way out of here!_

But you’ve already tried everything…

…or so you thought.

Down the hall from your cell, you and Orochimaru passed by a tray full of used scalpels – ones coated in old blood, waiting patiently to be sanitized and sharpened anew for further ‘use.’

_Maybe I could…_

Recalling the exam that became your rite of passage as a Jonin, you formed hand signs and gentle made contact with the metal surface, silently pleading that the archaic hideout wasn’t chakra-proof, and to your relief found that your jutsu was able to weave its way through the metallic exterior into the ground surrounding your enclosure. Slowly, steadily, quietly, you sensed the outline of the tray down the hall and softened the ground it mounted upon to swallow it to transfer the tools closer to your cell. You closed your eyes and took a deep, concentrated breath and focused your chakra to form miniature versions of your Elemental Peacekeeper to grab hold of the dull blades – to pick the lock from the outside.

_Steady, (y/n). Precision isn’t your strongpoint, but you don’t have a choice._

The first attempt at inserting a tool into the lock failed terribly. With an audible ‘SHING,’ the scalpel scraped against the unrefined lock, prompting you to cringe visibly at the thought of them catching on to your attempted breakout. After a moment of silence, you resumed your strenuous efforts, determined to escape.

After numerous excruciating attempts and endless fumbling, your spirit almost leaped from your body after hearing a hearty click emit from the lock, its surface now coated in copious scratch marks, damp sand, and dried blood.

_Which… which way should I go? I need to avoid Kabuto and Orochimaru at all costs._

Your body was trembling, pumped full of adrenaline from the weight of your dire situation. You are in the living quarters of one of _the legendary Sannin,_ one who had no regard for human life _._

You figured your best bet was to try burying _yourself_ to try and dig a way out, but you’ve never had to do that before. You were afraid of getting lost in the hideout’s unfamiliar and confusing vicinity and burying yourself alive, effectively suffocating you to death.

_Well that’s certainly better than what Orochimaru has planned for me, I’m sure!_

Nodding to yourself, your body began its descent into unknown territory…

* * *

 

After shifting your body through the dirt at a sluggish pace, you began sensing unique signatures in the room adjacent to your body.

_Survivors? I – I can bring them with me…!_

Poking your head from the floor, you expected to find people who would be all-too eager to pounce in the escape route with you. Curiosity got the best of you as your eyes cautiously scrutinized the space around you. What you found was horrific – it was a room entirely dedicating to Orochimaru’s ‘findings.’ Jars containing various decaying body parts suspended in vile, sizzling green goo coated one wall, and remnants of rotting, dismembered corpses, all alphabetized in an uncanny organization system littered the opposite end. Some of them looked like abominations, with body parts growing where they shouldn’t be. Likely failed experiments.

_Wait…_

You watched in horror as one of the corpses turned their head to observe the noise of your arrival, as their jaw slackened as if they were trying to speak, but no words left their throat, only saliva.

_They… they’re all still alive!_

You couldn’t believe it. Orochimaru would go this far for the sake of his ‘research.’ These experiments were nothing like the ones from the show. This was real. It was horrifying, putrid, reprehensible…

Your stomach wanted to bubble its contents out through your esophagus, but was unable. You hadn’t eaten in over 24 hours. If it weren’t for the fight-or-flight hormones pumping through your body, you would have collapsed from the grotesque sight in that instant. Still, the smell of rot and disease amplified the nausea and it overwhelmed you once again, prompting you to dry heave continuously at the sight.

_No, stop! Don’t make any noise, (y/n)! What’s happening to me?! Why do I have such a weak stomach?! This was never an issue for me, until... wait, there’s no time for this! I- I need to find a way out! But… what about them…? Do I try to…? No. Get out now, and save them later. But they might be dead by then. Just grab them and go… but then we could all get caught, then I can’t save anyone! What – what do I do?!_

One of the amalgamates startled you out of your dilemma while you watched the fading light in their eyes grow dimmer. It sent an unrestricted chill straight through your spine. Then, something in the corner of your eye drew all of your attention. Less than two feet away, an experiment emerged before you, his sudden appearance forced out a short-lived but piercing shriek from your throat that you promptly concealed with a slap of a hand over your mouth.

Confronting these mysterious abominations immediately prepared you for the worst as you hurriedly withdrew a kunai and crossed your arms in a defensive stance toward the threat, to which they responded with a meek cry of their own.

_Wait… he’s just… a little boy…?_

“I-I’ll go back to my pen! I was j-just wondering why you made a hole in the ground… when Orochimaru’s helpers use the door over there. Don’t tell on me, he’ll take away all of our week’s rations again,” distant dreary moans of the amalgamates registered in the background at the mere prospect.

“Huh? K-kid, what –“

“I know! I’ll tell you about my secret stash where I keep my emergency rations! I always thought Orochimaru gave food to his helpers,” the boy remarked with more confidence once your kunai and defenses lowered and he saw how slim and nonthreatening you were from unintentionally starving yourself. “But I can share with you. Just don’t tell him that I secretly broke the lock, okay? I don’t think I mind sharing with you, anyway. You look different from the other people who come in here, they don’t usually put their knife down when we make noise.”

“H-hey, slow down! It’s alright, I’m not with Orochimaru. And keep your voice down,” you said in a hushed tone while having to angle your neck almost completely downward to address him. You were completely taken aback by the booming volume of this boy and how much energy he had despite his soul crushing captivity and circumstances. Though when you really thought about it, he was right. You were famished due to your stomach troubling you for a while now, but telling from the boy’s loose skin and frail stature, he was infinitely more so. That’s when you remembered the secret stash of your own.

“Here,” you stated simply while digging out an old, crumbly granola bar from deep within your weapons pouch.

“What’s that thing?”

“Y-you mean _this_?” You asked for clarity, unwilling to accept that this poor kid has never seen or heard of a simple granola bar before. “Well, it’s… food. I want you to have it.”

It was likely way past due its expiration date, but the newly acquired light that gleamed from within the boy’s eye at the foreign object easily purged those concerns from your mind. He couldn’t have been older than nine years old, and had dark, spiky hair. He physically and emotionally resembled Obito in some ways, you noted, specifically in the original show when he was crushed, lost his eye, and became physically and mentally scarred but still kept his determination during his rehabilitation with Madara. This boy was just like him, but you could see a glint of intrusive hopelessness developing and mounting inside him behind that loud and obnoxious façade of confidence and curiosity, causing a deep puncture in your heart over projecting Obito onto this boy. You wondered what his personality was like before he was ripped from his family and taken to this horrible, desolate prison.

“What’s your name?” you whispered as he devoured the chewy bar without restraint, and he replied to your shock, “AX – 2447.”

“H-huh? N-no, I mean, what did people call you before they dragged you to this place?”

“What do you mean? They never allow me to leave that room. Nobody is, I think.”

“Y-you mean you were _born_ here?!”

“No, I came from another room, before Orochimaru told us to go to this place.”

_Unbelievable. This poor boy was born purely for Orochimaru’s benefit._

Your stomach turned at the realization of just how twisted Orochimaru truly was. The show didn’t do him justice.

“So if you aren’t with the other guys, who are you?”

“Oh, I’m (y/n)… but it’s important that ‘the other guys’ don’t know who I am, or that I was ever here, okay?”

The boy didn’t understand but he nodded blindly anyway. He then noted the band wrapped around your (b/l), with the distinguishable insignia of the Leaf Village etched into it. “Does that thing mean you’re a ninja? Is that how you made that hole?”

“Heh, you got me all figured out, kiddo.”

“How’d you do it? Did you have to move your hands around all weird like others do?”

Subjects would periodically be brought to the hideout with similar headbands, but shinobi who’d put up a fight using jutsu soon found their efforts as futile against Orochimaru. Regardless, the boy was always curious about those ninja’s jutsu, and the hand signs that must be performed to unleash their power.

“I want to see it! Make another hole!”

“Well... I mean, I suppose it’s easy enough… you just,” mapping out your fingers into various positions, you effortlessly formed hand seals for Tiger, then Hare, Bore, and complete with Dog before pressing your hands flat into the ground, prompting a person-sized sinkhole to morph into another hollow hole next to you, much to the boys ecstatic delight.

“Can you do more?!” He inquired rather boisterously. You really didn’t have time for this, but something about his wonder and amazement for your abilities really struck a chord deep within you. This child took great interest in you, and you were surprised to find that you were becoming attached to him as well. “Do the one where that hot orangey stuff comes out your mouth!”

“Wha-? You mean fire? I’m not talented enough to pull off something like that.”

The boy stared at you blankly in incomprehension. Seeing his unusually bright features diminishing sent a sore pang through your heart. Disappointing children truly was the worst feeling.

“B-but I’ll tell you what,” you reached for the boy’s hands, to which he flinched away, prompting you to pause in reluctance. “It’s okay,” you regarded to the boy with such a genuine softness. Such gentle treatment was entirely foreign to him, but he found that it made him feel what can only be described as good on the inside. With that recognition, his tense posture eased, subtly signaling he was permitting you to reach again, and so you did.

“Let me show you what I know after watching someone else shoot ‘orange stuff’ from his mouth.” Recalling the signs required for Obito to unleash his Fireball Technique, you guided the boy’s hands into Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, then Tiger and chuckled when the boy imitated what he’d seen as he bent forward and puckered his lips and pretended to shoot fire from his mouth. Quite frankly, it was adorable. He found your reaction contagious when he began laughing for the very first time in his young life. Such a feeling was also foreign to him, but you evoked certain emotions he’d never imagined possessing before. These feelings… affection, perhaps?

A muffled conversation in the outer hallway then seized every bit of your attention. _That’s right, I gotta leave!_

“S-sorry… I need to go –“ 

“Are you… leaving…? Could I come…? P-please…?” The boy begged, unable to refrain from leaping at such an astronomical opportunity, which prompted his masked composure to loosen momentarily, with his one dark, intact eye desperately pleading with you. His right eye, the iris colored pitch black, almost resembled the distinctive charcoal eyes of an Uchiha. You remembered how one of Orochimaru’s goals is to inhabit a strong Uchiha body and obtain the power of the Sharingan, and wondered if Orochimaru had planned to possess this boy with the expectation of him possessing Uchiha traits, only to be filled with inextinguishable spite when he found none. It was at that moment you made it your goal to free this boy, whether you made it out or not was irrelevant. You had no more time to idle. Your shriek from earlier had surely roused Kabuto and Orochimaru into acting on your disappearance.

“Hold your breath, and don’t make a sound, alright?” You instructed while shifting the earth below the boy. It was hard enough to control your jutsu around yourself, but being in charge of an entirely different individual was exponentially nerve-wracking.

Your jutsu was succeeding beautifully in squirming the two of you throughout the hideout, despite traveling completely blind. Orochimaru’s labyrinth was designed to get lost in, but surely you would find an exit through the ground… eventually. You continued shifting and writhing through the dirt at a snail’s pace with the limp and malnourished boy wrapped securely in your arms. It was incredibly surreal how quickly you formed a powerful bond with someone you had just met, especially since he was so young. You were never good with kids, but you soon found yourself concentrated entirely on his future. You are going to take him to the Leaf, find him a home, an education – maybe he would even like to be a ninja one day? You strangely found comfort in the idea of becoming this kid’s sensei, despite not showing any interest in becoming one before. Maybe he’ll come to like you so much that he would rejoice in the idea of you and Obito adopting him and becoming a family like you hoped Obito wanted one day–

_Stop it, (y/n). You’re thinking way too far ahead here. You need to get him out of here safe and sound first!_

“What’d you say your name was?” Disbelief over this boy’s treatment still haunted you and it was evident all throughout your muzzled tone.

“AX… um, 24…47.”

“Well, that’s not your name anymore. Well, unless you... want it to be, I guess…?”

The boy peeked his one eye up at you in confusion.

_Gah! What am I saying?! Of course he wouldn’t want a name like that! Why am I so awkward around children?!_

“Wh-what I mean is, I’m gonna call you…”

_Hmm… he reminds me so much of Obito…_

“Tobi. You aren’t just a code. You’re worth more than that. When I get you out of here, I’ll have people refer to you as Tobi.”

“Can I keep the X somewhere? That’s my favorite letter.”

It was good to reason against prodding Tobi further about his particular interest in the letter ‘X’. Truthfully, it was the only letter he was aware of. Tobi never learned to read or write, but growing up he recalled how every friend he ever made within the facility was always marked with red, infectious X’s along their body from Kabuto’s incisions. Remembering such friends who had passed away from their injuries or otherwise disappeared veiled Tobi in a bittersweet comfort.

Instead of asking him about it, you only smiled with adoration. “Sure. When I take you to the Hidden Leaf, they’ll make you an official villager, and you can have an X in your middle name. Do you like the sound of that?”

He gleamed up at you in what he only dreamed what awe and affection would feel like. You were being so kind to him, after spending the entirety of his life living in what could only be described as hell, for the first time he felt at home, in your arms. The gleam in his eye soon diminished, and you watched his expression of wonder shift into terror, as a slithering noise began emanating from the tunnel behind you.

“Sound?” Tobi began, “That sound? No… I don’t like that sound at all!”

Puzzlement overrode your features over his reaction until the ominous noise made it to your ears as well. It sounded threatening – like a slithering of sorts. Like a snake.

 “We need to go, now!” You didn’t bother shrouding your voice in a whisper – Orochimaru was already aware of your disappearance. You had been searching for a way out for a long time, however. It would surely take some time for him to catch up with the two of you –

“Something’s got my leg!” The words leaving your mouth were raspy and full of unmitigated terror as the snake wrapped around your ankle began tugging you out of your soil haven like a helpless fish. You couldn’t counter it, the instincts ordering you to protect Tobi overrode any thoughts telling you to let him go to form hand signs. Before you knew it, Orochimaru had successfully fished you and Tobi out of the hole.

“Really, I’m surprised how you managed to elude me to this extent, child. After all, the intel Kabuto gathered stated that you aren’t much of a challenge or a threat. You’ve surprised me, but that does not mean you would necessarily be useful to me, I’m afraid. But what’s this? One of my failed experiments seems to have latched onto you. Let me help you with disposing-“

“ **Don’t you touch him,** ” the clutch around Tobi squeezed tighter.

Orochimaru paused for a moment before his twisted smirk returned. He decided to humor your request and took both of you to another enclosed chamber – one that held jagged and bloody chains hammered crudely into the wall.

“I hope you understand that if you do not wish to return my failed subject, then he may suffer identical consequences as you, my dear.”

“If you say that I’m nothing special, then what could you possibly want with me, anyway?!”

“An excellent question, child. Kabuto insisted on luring you here, but even I am unaware of your true purpose. Perhaps there is something special about you that Kabuto has acknowledged above my own judgement.”

You felt the urge to tell him something - anything to stall him into letting you and Tobi live just a bit longer. You thought about Orochimaru’s interests during this time in the show. That’s when you remembered his fixation on implanting people with his Curse Mark.

“L-look, I know you have your sights on Sasuke and his Sharingan when you placed your Curse Mark on him, so you wouldn’t want to waste your time marking us.“

The look on Orochimaru’s face when you mentioned the Curse Mark caused a lump to form in your throat. It appeared that you had supplied him with a wretched idea.

_(y/n), you freaking buffoon!_

The heinous slits in Orochimaru’s eyes only grew in fascination with you. “My dear girl, I’m afraid that I am not troubled with anyone named Sasuke, but what a wonderful suggestion nonetheless.”

_What? Orochimaru doesn’t even know who Sasuke is? So he’s safe, too! That’s right… since he never attacked the village, Orochimaru must not have attended the Forest of Death section of the exam – the place where he initially infected Sasuke._

Before you could properly react, the tendons in Orochimaru’s neck snapped, allowing it to jet out and strike you like a snake attacking its prey. Your eyes instinctively creased shut and crossed your arms in front of you in preparation for his implant, with Tobi’s harrowing cries begging Orochimaru to stop registering in the back of your mind.

_No! He’s going to mark me! I won’t survive a Curse Mark! It’s going to kill me!_

….

_….huh?_

Slowly, your body permitted control of your eyes again as you peeked them open, only to find Orochimaru hovering in place mere inches from your horribly trembling body, with your neck still devoid of any bite marks.

“….”

"That chakra,” Orochimaru muttered with an unusual and unsettling amazement. “That is the unmistakable chakra signature of an Uchiha. You yourself are not of Uchiha blood, and yet...”

“…..”

“…so _this_ is why Kabuto has taken quite the interest in you. That perceptive boy,” Orochimaru huffed out in a particular amusement, one that was full to the brim with menacing delight. “I’m amazed he was able to detect such a faint and diminutive chakra signature, when even I must be in close proximity to spot it myself.”

You couldn’t move. Remnants of fear from the Sannin’s anticipated fatal attack nevertheless paralyzed your entire body.

“I see you are speechless. You must not be aware of the phenomenon currently transpiring in your body,” Orochimaru exhaled a wicked, calculated chuckle. “But on the most instinctual of levels, you already sense it, don’t you?”

“What… what do you mean…?”

“My dear girl… you have something extraordinary inside of you.”


	27. Tobi

_“…you have something extraordinary inside of you.”_

Seven words. Never before had seven words intruded upon you with such indestructible force behind their meaning. No. He couldn’t possibly be referring to –

“S-something inside me…? You already said that I’m not much use to you, what’s so special about my chakra inside me?”

“It is not _your_ chakra I am interested in, dear girl. Kabuto lured you here because of the presence of the Uchiha flowing within your chakra network. _That_ is what has drawn in my fascination.”

You exhaled discreetly in a mix of relief and morbid amusement over the legendary Sannin’s humiliating misunderstanding. Obito’s chakra is strong - so potent that after being within his presence your body is often soaked, pungent with copious amounts of it as it ebbs and flows with your own. That’s what Orochimaru must be sensing inside of you.

“Orochimaru… I can’t believe I have to tell you this, but you’re wr –“

“Hush now, girl. You really should not speak. Conserve your energy; it would appear that your body is severely malnourished, that is not a good thing to be when in the midst of incubation.”

The young Tobi looked up at you while he clasped a bony but firm hand around yours, “Incubation…?! What’s that mean?”

“I…” You couldn’t explain it out loud. The fact of the matter terrified you, so you lied, “I’m not sure what it means, Tobi…”

Finally, Orochimaru’s repulsively delightful expression morphed into a perplexed and slightly annoyed one. “I’d hope the maternal side of my future vessel would be at least somewhat bright, but no matter. The unsurpassed strength of the paternal Uchiha portion is what is truly of importance.”

You got it then. You didn’t want to admit it, but you knew. All this talk of a future vessel, incubation and maternal/paternal traits, suffering from ripples of erratic and unexplained nausea, and barely possessing enough energy to keep yourself from collapsing… Orochimaru was insinuating what you had suspected for weeks now, but have forcefully repressed out of fear and denial. But you couldn’t hide it any longer.

You were going to be a mother.

The chakra inside you wasn’t comprised of just yours and Obito’s anymore – deep inside were hints of a tiny and frail individual, one whose chakra contained a blend of both you and Obito’s characteristics.

“Oh my god,” the ghastly reality finally struck you _, hard_. Not only are you in imminent danger within the presence of the notorious Orochimaru, you now had the crushing responsibility of two other lives to protect from him.

“Th-that’s why Kabuto let me follow him here? You want my b… my b-baby…?” Sheer astonishment from outwardly acknowledging your condition made it difficult to spit the words out. When you finally did, your own voice felt foreign to you. It wasn’t necessary anyway. You knew all about Orochimaru’s plan: his insatiable desire for a strong Uchiha body to transfer into and call his own.

“No… you want them… for their body… for their eyes…!”

“Now I suppose I am guilty of such an ill-mannered accusation. This truly was unexpected, but a pleasant change in schedule nonetheless. You appear to be about 28 years old, does that sound correct? What an ideal age for such a momentous occasion. There is no need to worry, I will keep you primed and properly fed until you are to give birth, then you won’t have to worry about the prospect of unexpected parenthood any longer. We both get what we want, you see, child. Come along with me and I will see that you stay in a special facility away from any disease you may catch in this very room,” Orochimaru watched your face soften seemingly in interest, and he leaped at the opportunity. “As an added benefit, I will pardon whom you’ve labeled as, ‘Tobi’ and grant him special privileges around the base. Now doesn’t that sound like a fair trade? Everybody wins in this scenario, lovely girl.”

You recognized Orochimaru’s manipulation tactics. He was simultaneously trying to coerce, persuade, and scare you into obeying his every command. There was one fatal flaw in Orochimaru’s scheme, however; he was underestimating the extent to which it took for you to back down and surrender. At first, your face read as if his sly techniques were prevailing, but inside you were fuming. To even suggest that you would hand over any child to such a monstrous and demonic shinobi – especially _your_ children. Harrowing guilt still consumed you over not being able to stop Orochimaru before he could experiment on the 60+ children years ago, resulting in their violent and painful death, not to mention the image of the soulless eyes of those he was torturing at that very moment permanently embedded into your memory. You couldn't help but feel every drop of their blood on your hands.

_You knew about it, (y/n). All this time. You could have prevented this._

You would be _damned_ if you let another child fall victim to Orochimaru's 'pursuit of knowledge.’ A powerful burst of possessiveness sprang forth, granting you the confidence to address the legendary Sannin without restraint or conviction.

“Forget it. You can’t keep us here, and you won’t control either one of these kids. I’m taking them and we are leaving, and if you even _think_ of laying even your _tongue_ on me or Tobi,”

Your back straightened upright, indicating the extent of your unfaltering audacity toward Orochimaru.

“I vow to the afterlife I will strike you down where you stand.”

Orochimaru’s grave stare warned that one more bold move and your guts will be splayed violently across the floor.

“The choice is not yours to make!” His sudden rise in tone startled you into rethinking your attempt at a threatening demeanor. “I see the Leaf Village is still lacking in teaching its citizens proper respect. Allow me to make an example of just who you are opposing, girl.”

At that, Orochimaru’s grotesque and pointed tongue snaked outward at blinding speed, coiling around Tobi in a slimy and constricting prison.

“NO! Don’t hurt him!” Your legs feebly stumbled toward Tobi’s screeching and writhing body. You had succeeded in provoking the legendary Sannin. He was prepared to show you that opposition of any kind will not be tolerated, and what better way to break your spirit than to annihilate someone you held dear? Tobi had been nothing but a disappointment to Orochimaru anyhow. He was brought here for the sole purpose of becoming a promising candidate for Orochimaru’s future vessel. Either he was snatched from the Hidden Leaf Village at a negligible age, or his mother was abducted and impregnated with the understanding that Tobi harbored Uchiha blood, but even after years of torment, of harrowing agony, his Sharingan refused to activate. Orochimaru even went as far as to seize one of Tobi’s eyes for further experimentation to obtain knowledge on a why such eyes were deficient, to no avail. It is not unheard of where some Uchihas never awaken their Sharingan abilities, and Orochimaru deemed such pathetic individuals as ‘defective,’ and Tobi was no exception. At this point, Orochimaru kept Tobi at the edge of death solely for his own amusement, but he soon grew tired of such trivial nonsense. If he killed this worm now, he’d be ridding himself of a useless, defective vessel and mentally bludgeoning you to comply as a result. This way, he’d be killing two birds with one stone.

Orochimaru smirked at the idea, but it was soon replaced with an unexpected frown when he registered that his body had cemented into the floor up to his waist, courtesy of your jutsu.

“I won’t ask again. Let. Him. Go.”

Deciding against your mind telling you to comply with Orochimaru, you instead took a great chance to confront the irritated Sannin directly. All the while, Tobi was stunned at your bravery to attack Lord Orochimaru, _for him._

 _He wouldn’t hurt me,_ you figured. He couldn’t strike you and risk squandering your baby, his vessel, in the process. You were invincible.

…or so you thought.

His tongue unfurled from Tobi’s gasping form and twisted tightly around you without provision or hesitation, with it notably securing its glistening muscle around your neck and suspending you in midair. Your mouth gaped open, but no noise accompanied the action. The suffocating grip around your throat prevented any ability to show evidence of your imminent death. Tobi had seen this happen, innumerable times at this point. Eventually he had grown numb to it; this was just what happened to those who disobey Orochimaru’s orders, but this time was different. It was as if an intense fire had ignited within Tobi at him witnessing the light fading from the eyes of the only person to regard him with unconditional kindness. With a distressed cry, Tobi lunged at the Sannin, blind to any plan or forethought; all he wanted to achieve was to stop Orochimaru from hurting you. Orochimaru may have been immobilized from the adhesive nature of your jutsu, but his hands were still free. With his tongue still coiled firmly around you, Orochimaru’s arm darted for the enraged Tobi and made forceful contact with his throat as well. His sickeningly long and pointed nails resembled snake fangs as they dug into Tobi’s neck, drawing blood and howls of pain from him. Orochimaru’s own neck then detached and twisted a full 180 degrees behind him to address the boy who possesses the audacity to insult his prowess by thinking he even stood a chance against a Sannin. Only, what Orochimaru saw mystified even him. Within Tobi’s one eye was the unmistakable signature trait of the Uchiha – the Sharingan. After years of coaxing Tobi by torturous means, only to label him as an irredeemable failure, he had unlocked the unique ocular ability from the distress of witnessing someone he cares deeply for in immediate danger.

Upon the recognition, Orochimaru released a demented smile, made even more unsightly with his tongue jutting out while wrapped around your throat – his noxious saliva had since trailed down your neck and soaked into your clothing. With Tobi’s fate now fully realized, Orochimaru now has an Uchiha vessel. There was no need to wait for the other one to be born anymore. Never had he encountered someone like you who would address such a legendary shinobi so disrespectfully, with seemingly no regrets about it, either. Orochimaru was insulted, perhaps even humiliated from being talked down to.

This is where your life ends. Here. After everything you’ve been through, after improving everyone’s life in the shinobi world, after finally winning over your lover after years of resigned yearning, this is where it ends. You’d never even get the chance to tell Obito that he now had a family on the way, and the poor soul in your stomach whose life was cut short before it could truly develop at the slimy hands of the despicable creature known as Orochimaru.

Your eyes squeezed shut, putting every ounce of your strength into refraining from falling into despair and sorrow as his grasp compressed harder… but you refused to give up – the adrenaline coursing through your body amplified your distressed struggles against his bind, producing a singular tear that rolled down your cheek during your fight to stay alive.

_I’m… not weak…! I have to… need to… what… what do I do?! (y/n), do SOMETHING!_

Watching the liquid manifestation of your distress added fuel to Tobi’s ever-expanding fire, and his fumbling hands lifted to converge together and, as if on instinct, imitated the hand seal you hand shown him previously.

_Snake…_

_Ram…_

_Monkey…_

His crimson eye never left you as you continued to struggle in vain.

  _B-Boar…_

_H..h..horse…_

Tobi watched your strained expression finally ease into unconsciousness from lack of an air supply. It was then, he snapped.

_TIGER!_

Orochimaru perceived a strange heat emanating from the Uchiha’s torso before a short but intense fire burst from Tobi’s mouth, setting Orochimaru ablaze while cloth at a nearby table caught its residual sparks, effectively starting what soon became an inextinguishable fire within the base. The heated burst distracted Orochimaru into releasing his hold on both you and Tobi in order to pound and bury his head into the soiled dirt in an earnest attempt to douse the scorching flame on his face as your limp body collapsed to the ground with an audible thud. Immediately racing toward you, Tobi rocked your shoulder with as much force his frail body could muster. Fueled by rage, the flame spread farther, now beginning to reach adjacent chambers and labs, which finally caught Orochimaru’s attention. Violently breaking free from your softening jutsu, Orochimaru couldn’t contain his seething resentment for Tobi as he dug his grotesque fingernails into his dusty hair before thrusting him into the growing fire. The heat made contact full force with Tobi’s exposed skin, severely scorching his right half all while a deafening wail struggled out of his throat before rolling out of the inferno and unintentionally coating his injuries in cooling soil. Orochimaru then rushed to leave the room, desperate to salvage his important lab work and valuable scrolls before they burned to oblivion by the growing inferno, leaving you and Tobi to fend for yourselves in the labyrinth hideout.

You had no idea when you blacked out, or how long you were unconscious, but a frantic voice followed by the unmistakable scent of smoke and ash harshly roused you back to reality. You never forgot your encounter with Kusuo Uchiha years ago, and how you were mere moments away from death by smoke asphyxiation. The memory still haunts you, and even to this day you suffer from traumatic dreams reliving the nightmarish experience. Waking up to your senses being flooded with that familiar heat and smoke sent waves emotionally charged with sheer terror all throughout your body, but a boyish voice snapped you out of your freezing episode.

“(y-y/n)…?” Tobi called for you between coughing and whimpering in seek of assurance. He was unable to process the conflicting emotions of relief and confusion by your unusual reaction upon waking, coupled with the distress hormones flooding his body, dulling the blistering pain and telling him to escape the fiery danger around him. Burn marks riddled his body and face, especially around his lips, the ashen atmosphere painted his once jet black hair a dusty grey. Unable to see the hands in front of you from the excess amount of black smoke, you blindly molded your fingers together to create a hole for your escape, when the sound of a ceiling cracking under pressure filled your ears. Twisting your sore head upward, you were faced with the stark realization that the foundation above your head was moments from crashing down. Immediately pulling Tobi to your torso, you leaped through the exit into the hallway just as the ceiling collapsed the room you were just in get shrouded in dust and debris. You watched in horror as you and Tobi were about to land directly onto a patch of scolding wreckage and you tried your best to twist your body around in midair to absorb all of its wrath. The protective material of your ninja outfit consumed most of the impact, but it hardly mattered. Tobi was already scorched beyond his limits. After the smoke cleared, the dimly lit hallway granted just enough visibility to scrutinize his dire condition.

“T-Tobi…! H-how did you get so burned?!”

_Is this… because of… me?_

“Orochimaru… orange stuff came out… he didn’t like it. He…”

“You… pulled off a fire-style jutsu? But how…?”

That’s when Tobi’s one Sharingan caught your eye.

“Tobi! You’re an Uchiha, too!”

The rest of Tobi’s words were indistinguishable among his gut-wrenching cries.

You couldn’t dwell any longer. You _needed_ to get him out of there.

You didn’t know where to go. The ground was coated in a thick layer of fallen beams and other unnatural apparatuses. There was no way to escape through the ground now. You didn’t dare try, anyway. There was no force on this Earth powerful enough to pry Tobi out of your quivering arms.

Dodging the falling debris, you sprinted through the labyrinth hallways while the flames spread through the hideout.  The scent of musty dust and scorched fleshed permeated your nostrils. The harrowing scent was almost enough to overpower another unfamiliar smell, one that smelled… noxious.

It wasn’t until you hastily approached a mysterious doorway and observe various broken vials scattered on the ground did a concentrated blast of the fumes meet with your uncovered face. A thick cloud of poisonous gas surrounded each orifice – your eyes, nostrils, mouth, everywhere. Any remnants of saliva in your mouth immediately evaporated while your throat tightened and shriveled in response to being directly exposed to an unknown toxin – likely conjured by Orochimaru himself. Being unable to shield your face, you instead opted to sheathe Tobi’s from the fumes with your hand without thinking, warranting a painful squeal from him upon slapping your hand over his horribly charred face. Forcing your stinging eyes open, you spotted a glimmer of light at the end of the charred tunnel behind a thick wall of unyielding flames, prompting your dry eyes to snap open and your legs to wobble while your mind flashed with the traumatic experience from your previous lethal encounter with fire. Shutting your eyes and with gritted teeth, you dashed directly through the inferno, all while screaming louder than Tobi in a mix of fear, adrenaline and determination, and impatiently proceeded through the flames. There was no time for self-preservation or interest. Tobi needed medical attention. _Immediately._

Dashing toward the exit, more wretched thoughts coursed through your mind – it was a haunting melody identical to Tobi’s unrelenting screams. Orochimaru had left his experiments behind to rot in his hideout while he escaped, and telling by the spread of the flames, they had prematurely met the fires of hell. At that, your feet skidded to a stop. You needed to save them, too. They’re the reason why you tracked Kabuto all this way. Midway through turning around, an odd sensation connected with your arm and you peered down to find part of the seared flesh that had once belonged to Tobi’s arm had come lose and was hanging over yours like a rack of meat that had been left hanging to dry.

_Ahhhh! Ahhh…. T-Tobi… h-he needs help… but they…_

You silently twisted your head in the direction of the chambers deep in the hideout in distressing contemplation. Your line of sight then traveled to the whimpering boy in your arms before looking back out to the distance one final time.

_Everyone… I… I’m sorry!_

Without a word, your feet dashed for the exit once more. The desperate cries of your conscience demanding for you to turn back around never ceased until well after your departure.

 

* * *

 

The dark trail of smoke ascended into the evening air from a distance while your disheveled form collapsed in a nearby forest, with Tobi still heavily within your grasp. After a few shuddering gasps of air, you looked up to Tobi and couldn’t believe the extent of pure torture that could fit into such a tiny, fragile expression. He suffered burns on at least 50% of his body, and you had been carrying him for so long now. The village was still hopelessly out of reach.

“Just hang in there Tobi. Once we get back to the village, they’ll patch you up. There’s more people just like you there. They’re all so amazing and talented, and their eyes glow red just like you. Maybe we can even find your parents! You just… need to… hold… on…”

While listening to his increasingly labored and shallow gasps and the life fading from his eye, you had to face the truth – there was nothing you could do for Tobi.

_Why… why can’t I be a medical ninja…? Why can’t I do **anything**?! _

“(y-y/n)…” Broken words managed to leak from his chafed lips, “Did I… do something bad…?”

With an open-mouthed awe, your dusty eyebrows contorted over the boy’s calm demeanor.

“N-no, Tobi. You… you did something… g-good…”

One red eye, half-lidded from the weight of depleted energy, peered up at you, with his lid raising slightly, “Really…? I did…?”

You gestured a forced nod while choking back tears, and the feverish movement prompted the tattered and chipped remnants of your village insignia band to loosen from its once-secure knot.

“Hmm-hm… you did what I showed you, Tobi… you stopped Orochimaru by letting out a fireball technique… right from your mouth.”

“…like those n-ninja…?”

“Th-that’s right. Just like those ninja… and… you s-saved me. You’re a hero, Tobi…”

You watched Tobi’s eyelid drop at the same time his slight smirk did. At the same time, your headband slithered off, seemingly in slow motion, onto the ashy ground below with a gentle clunk.

“If only…”

The flickering life in his crimson eye faded, and Tobi succumbed to his injuries.

“I could have saved you…”

 

* * *

 

The night was still. Soil cracking and crumbling under the weight of your shoes and your labored breathing were the only noises to accompany you while trudging back to the village like a reanimated corpse - both physically and emotionally. Dragging and skidding your feet along the dirt only amplified the gritty noise and aided in distracting you from the overwhelming turmoil transpiring in your body and spirit. It took roughly 20 years, but the ninja world finally shattered you.

 After what felt like endless walking, you finally retreated to the village. At this point, you had no desire to be anywhere – not at Ichiraku Ramen, not at the Hokage’s office to report what you’d found; you didn’t even want to go home to face Obito after what you had done. Eventually, you forced your head up to observe where your feet took you, where you ended up in your favorite spot in the village – at the pond where it all began. How appropriate. It was as though your body knew how to cheer yourself up after such a harrowing depressive episode. It had been so long since that fateful night where you plunged into that water – 18 years to be exact, and eight years since you and Obito had officially become a couple. Ever since then, you’ve taken trips to that park to refresh your mind of the overflowing sentimentality you finally expressed to your soulmate that night eight years ago. Usually your reminiscing took place while sitting at the bench under the cherry blossom trees; however, that spot was reserved specifically for pleasant visits. Instead, your shattered spirit urged you toward the edge of the pond.

_This is where it all began. We were so young back then. Even after all these years, I still can’t believe Obito chose me. Even when I’m such a screw-up._

A negligible and weary smile strained against your lips at the thought.

_All because I decided to take a walk that night._

Some things never change. You remembered how you would always take late night strolls whenever you felt troubled or burdened back home.

_Home… exactly where is home for me now?_

Thoughts of your life before transporting to this world popped into your mind every now and then. You have long been accustomed to the ninja world by now, but sometimes you wondered if you would ever see the people from your old life – your old house, your old neighborhood, it had been _so_ long.

Your body finally halted at the water’s edge when a subtle, mysterious twinkling in the water caught your eye.

_That spark… it… it looks…_

You squinted your eyes and crawled on your hands and knees to lean closer to the object.

_That’s-!_

It was a shiny object, identical to the one that first lured you into the water all those years ago.

It looked so… inviting.

Guilt and shame overrode any other emotion and inhibition. You had only seen this light one other time - perhaps this instance had a specific purpose.

Bending at the knees, you crouched toward the murky pool; the urge to reach into the water obstructed all other thoughts. Before you could think about what you were doing, you watched your arm stretch toward the object in the water, entranced by its sparkle, reflecting how you were unable to resist it years ago. Time ceased to flow as your fingertips gradually advanced forward, closer to grazing the pond’s marshy surface.

_I don’t need to fall in this time… I could just… reach for it… just a little bit farther…_

_Closer…_

_Almost there…_

_…._

Right as your skin was about to make fateful contact with its dreary depths, you paused.

_If I touch this… will I… go back to my world?_

_…._

_Do I want to return to my world?_

_…._

_Maybe… it’s time to go back… clearly I’m no longer wanted – or needed here. I only make things worse…_

You thought about how transitioning into this world forced you into giving up on your past life. You never truly had a choice in the matter, but it would appear that a second chance has been gifted to you. However, you knew that choosing to live in your previous world… meant abandoning this one.

_I would be leaving my friends behind…_

An image of Kakashi, Rin, and Minato turning around to gleam warmly at you flashed through your mind.

_And all those years training and perfecting my skills… that would disappear, too._

Your mind then conjured a sequence of restless, sweat-induced nights spent at the training grounds practicing various shinobi techniques.

_And of course, I would be deserting… him._

Your thoughts finally fixated on the entire reason, your compelling resolve for becoming a ninja: your boyfriend, your partner, your lover – Obito Uchiha, and the adoring glint in his eyes and smile whenever you graced his presence. Your thoughts ended with a warm image of him clutching his child tight with loving eyes.

Your hand froze, hovering directly above the liquid barrier – the one that defined the universe’s boundaries, the one that divided you from your two worlds. After further contemplation and stilted hesitance, your hand steadily retracted from the pond, and you reclined to your knees.

_I… I can’t. I can’t do it! I can’t abandon him._

Eventually, you managed to struggle to your feet. Your head hung low and with pronounced bags under your eyes, heart-rending depression began to settle in further as your lips began to tremble uncontrollably. Suddenly, a sound in the distance interrupted your own, but you remained standing, unfazed. You were too numb to turn around or even lift you head. That is, until a swirling noise reduced your sniveling to a stop.

That swirling… you hadn’t heard that since…

Strong arms urgently enveloped your trembling body from behind and pressed it to their chest assertively before there was even a chance to turn around. The next sensation came in the form of labored breathing against your neck, indicating that they had been moving, rushing – as if searching desperately for something.

“(y-y/n)…!” Obito mewed between heavy pants, struggling hopelessly to maintain any shred of his composure. “Wh-where were you…? I thought you’d be… I thought I…” he mumbled sheepishly while hiding his face into the back of your neck. All night he searched – in and outside the village, but he found you. Obito was so scared. He was relieved; frustrated, overwhelmed with powerful and conflicting emotions as he clutched you tight from behind with his body trembling, chest heaving.

You couldn’t speak. Any words that’d leave your mouth would trigger a cascade of tears to fall.

Obito couldn’t tolerate the silence. He struggled with quivering arms to place them on your shoulders, and firmly he began to twist you around.

“(y/n)-“

“Don’t look at me!” you demanded while jerking away. Full to the brim with shame, you refused to allow Obito the privilege of facing you after being separated for so long. You didn’t deserve the sweet reunion. Not after everything that happened because of you.

His motion ceased, but only for a moment. Slowly, he twirled you around to face him once more, with your head positioned stubbornly to the ground.

“(y/n). Look at me.” He deliberately addressed you by your full first name, something he did only during unimaginably intimate moments. His voice was unfocused and hoarse while trying hard to conceal the tremor overwhelming his body.

Lifting your head took a strenuous amount of effort, but your debilitated eyes eventually met with your boyfriend’s. He did not look happy. His Sharingan burned an intense red, to reflect the anger, confusion and exasperation that dominated him over your patterns of irrationality that lead to you putting yourself in danger again. You could almost see past the sheen of displeasure on his face. Hidden behind the surface of irritation, Obito was overjoyed to see you safe. Still, you had left him to panic yet again, as if what he felt didn’t matter to you. The two of you exchanged looks for a brief moment – yours was worn out and defeated while his peered slightly downward, wordlessly scolding you while reflecting his intense aggravation and perhaps a bit of disappointment. The act soon faded; his stern look eased before averting to the ground while sighing in a mix of relief and frustration.

“Please. Just tell me what-“

Before he could muster another word, your arms darted out to clench Obito back as you finally allowed your emotions to take over and explode with inconsolable tears. The unexpected reaction startled Obito, but loving arms descended to your back and waist, embracing you and letting you cry it all out. Your body collapsed harshly to the muddy ground, with Obito following your movement without hesitation and dropping to his knees, where you inhaled a slow, agonizing breath, and released a shaken, deafening wail of torment and sorrow as a constant stream of tears finally evacuated your eyes. It was a raw howl unlike any sound he’d ever had the displeasure of hearing.

Every moment that day was pure, unadulterated, anguish. A deep and sultry inhale unleashed the shame of failing your mission, another strangled howl escaped your lips from the humiliation of being incarcerated and being an embarrassment to the village, with a raging, scolding ache in your chest from being unable to save the individuals being held captive, and from letting Tobi sacrifice himself to save you.

You and Obito clasped each other for what felt like eons.

Eventually your wails lessened to distressed whimpers, but the raging tears never ceased. Obito welcomed your nuzzle into his neck, the warmth of your tears against the goosebumps coating his skin diminished his fears that you were gone for good. Obito couldn’t fathom what you had gone through, at least not in this timeline. What he did know, however, was the sensations transpiring in his own body – the overwhelming panic of learning you were missing, the anticipated exaltation of spotting signs of your chakra nearby, and the utter disconcertment of your uncharacteristic and unfitting reaction of reuniting with your soulmate after being separated for so long. The clashing emotions of what he had to go through that day overpowered Obito, and he began to cry as well. His head dipped into the crook of your shoulder and pressed you harder against him until you two were one mass of erratic, billowing emotion.

After countless moments, you were the first to break the uncomfortable silence with crushing words mumbled into his shoulder.

“I’m such an embarrassment.”

Obito snapped his head upward to look at you, but you only pressed your face harder into his neck in response. He knew being pushy wouldn’t work in this instance. With his breathing regulating, he cupped your damp cheek into his palm and gently coaxed you out of the comfort of his embrace to connect with his eyes. A thin sheen of sweat coated his exhausted expression, and the darkened intensity of the bags under his eyes matched yours. Despite the negative inference in his face, Obito’s dark eyes pulsed with love and captivation for the defeated woman slumping before him. Catching that special spark in his eyes even after all these years never failed in swelling your heart with an enthralling tenderness for the Uchiha, and he inadvertently succeeded in alleviating your troubled expression into a softer, more lax one. The sudden calming of your mind allowed your senses to perceive the unusual sensation left on your neck – a liquid of sorts, but thicker than tears. Brushing your fingertips across your neck then back to inspect them, your eyes widened slightly over the rich crimson-colored fluid coating them: blood. You used any remaining strength to raise your head to meet with Obito once more, this time noticing thick trails of blood oozing down his cheeks and dripping into the mud below, with it originating from both of his Sharingan.

“O-Obito… have you been…?”

He shushed you gently, “I had to, angel. I wanted… needed… to find you…” he trailed off while breaking eye contact. “No matter what it took.”

You both knew the use of Obito’s Mangekyou Sharingan was strictly forbidden – without the Hashirama cells he possessed in the original show, Obito was prone to the affliction that plagued all Uchiha’s who were blessed – or cursed – enough to awaken the forbidden Uchiha ocular ability of the Mangekyou. Blindness.

Using your thumb to stroke the blood smearing his unscarred cheeks, you replied sternly, your gritty voice full of remorse, “You know why you can’t keep using Kamui, Obito…! H-how many times did you…” you trailed off as well, only now noticing a faint and dull paleness developing deep within Obito’s dark eyes.

He pressed you insistently against him once more while closing his eyes and combing his fingers tenderly through your matted hair. The forceful action signified Obito’s feelings of being overwrought with a confusing blend of frustration and gratitude. It didn’t matter to him how many times he had to use Kamui. He would happily endure the searing pain and welcome the consequences of blindness if it meant keeping you safe.

“Why did you go…?”

The stark reminder of all the events that transpired that day sent a chilling wave of pain and guilt through your body, causing your heartrate to speed up, which Obito discreetly took notice of.

“I… I had to…”

Obito’s aching and throbbing eyes narrowed slightly in incomprehension. Why couldn’t you understand?

“(y/n)… when you leave… you tell me.”

He sought for dominance between the two of you in an attempt to indicate the extent of his frustration and grief of almost losing you _again,_ but the crack in his voice instead pleaded to you. He merely wanted you to understand what you mean to him.

“Why should I even bother?” you snapped. “Because of what I did, people are… gone. And now you’re starting to lose your eyesight, all because of _me._ I’ve made so many mistakes as a ninja. No matter what I know, no matter how hard I try, I keep making mistakes. I can’t follow what’s going on anymore. Everything’s too different now. What’s the point, Obito? I was never even supposed to **be** here!”

“Here?” Obito’s eyes furrowed in confusion. “You mean-“

“I _mean_ that I’m from another world!” you admitted, no longer having the capacity to care that Obito knew the truth. “When we first met, when I told you that I’m not from around here, I really meant it. I’m from a place where there are no ninjas. There’s no chakra. No jutsu. The only thing our worlds have that is similar is war. That’s still the same. And I may have just caused one.”

Obito was speechless. Concern was all he felt for the love of his life slouching before him. You couldn’t possibly be telling the truth. Could you?

“You want me to believe that you’re from some other dimension that nobody else knows about?”

“It’s the truth, Obito. Would I lie to you?”

“Yes. You have before.”

You knew all these years of keeping secrets would come back to bite you one day.

“Look… you’re right. You really have no reason to believe me, but I’m sick of keeping things from you. I’m sick… of everything. I don’t know why the universe decided to throw me into this place with you. I figured it was just fate that I was meant to protect you, to guide you, to… love you.”

At that, Obito’s spent eyes lit up in surprise. Perhaps you were telling the truth.

“But it’s alright. I got you to where you need to be, Obito. That’s been my goal since the very beginning… making sure that you’re safe. You can still become Hokage. But with me around…”

Your mind wandered to a scenario where villagers constantly harass the two of you after your interception of the Chunin Exams. You were terrified that your presence here will negatively influence his chances of being nominated for the next Hokage. What was even more terrifying was the prospect of Obito becoming blind because of his Sharingan.

“Maybe it wasn’t right for me to interfere with what was supposed to happen here. What if I was never supposed to come here? What if you’ll be happier…. maybe… you’ll be better off if I-”

Your sight began gravitating toward that inviting sparkle.

“You’re wrong,” Obito managed through gritted teeth. “I don’t know anything about some other world out there, but I _know_ that you _are_ supposed to be here. I don’t care where you’re from. All I know is that I’m certain I was supposed to run into you that day. Are you comfortable with standing here and telling me that you don’t think we were meant to meet? That you don’t belong here… with me?”

“Obito… no…” you responded dejectedly. “That’s… not how I feel… at all…”

Obito could tell that you doubted yourself still, and his hands instinctively wandered to your waist and gripped it tight.

“This isn’t like the woman I fell in love with. My (y/n) is strong. She’s determined to improve herself every day. She would never give up on me, or on herself. Listen, (y/n),”

His grasp squeezed tighter as he pulled you close against his chest.

“You’re the one I look up to the most. Everything you do matters to me. All this talk about how I’m ‘better off…’ it scares me, (y/n). It’s not like you. Whatever happened today, I need you to tell me.” His eyes darted to the ground in thought for a moment before reconnecting with your eyes.

“And while you’re at it… tell me _everything_.”

Obito needed to understand. You had kept the truth about where you’re from hidden for all these years. Losing the inhibition to withhold it from him felt elating in a way. Obito was handling this better than you could ever have imagined. He was inviting you to have no more secrets. Maybe then he would understand your irrational choices. You were inclined to leave, desperate to liberate the prisoners of Orochimaru’s personal hell. A task that, despite your best efforts, ended in abhorrent failure. The weight of guilt on your shoulders prompted a nauseating wave to wash over you.

_Th-that’s right…! I’m sick because… I need to tell him that I’m…!_

“O-Obito…” Your throat was scratchy and raw from inhaling toxic fumes combined with screaming out your misery and distress.

“I’ll start with this. I need a hospital.”

 

* * *

 

It had been years since your last stay in the Hidden Leaf Hospital, but you didn’t miss the prison-like interior and anxiety-inducing noises produced by medical machinery, but this time you readily ignored it. The erratic pounding in your chest over what you must say overtook every other perception. You had to tell him.

“It’s been a while since you got cooped up in here,” Obito joked while shutting his eyes casually in an attempt to calm his wired nerves. The nurses had since took your vitals and inspected your injuries intently, but there was one final test you were waiting on.

“H-hey… listen… Obito…” Your words succeeded in snapping his eyes back open at you in confusion and concern.

“R-remember how I’ve been mysteriously sick and… I guess moody on some days…?”

“Heh, you don’t have to remind me,” he replied while reaching to rub the back of his neck. “The crater you left in the yard back home is all it takes to refresh my memory.”

You exhaled a brief and forced chuckle. “Y-yeah, well… I used some of that ‘womanly intuition’ I’ve told you about and did some searching and… well… I…”

_Say it, (y/n)!_

“It’s just that-“ Your words caught in your throat when your nervous eyes connected with his. Throughout the years, Obito was always the source of your bravery and confidence, but in this instance, your boyfriend was ironically the one who was sapping away your boldness.

“What’s with the shyness, huh? Don’t trust your own boyfriend, (y/n)?” he teased, trying to coax the words out of you with the unintentional use of good old-fashioned reverse psychology.

You pursed your lips and stared in playful opposition. You could say it if you wanted to.

_So go ahead, (y/n). If you think you’re so tough then just spit it out!_

“….”

_Somebody **please** save me from this unbearable silence!_

Just then, the mechanisms of your door unlocked and a rather eccentric nurse scurried inside your room while scrolls and other documents spilled out of her arms.

“Hi! I’m from the Nursery Department, and we’re back with your test results.”

“Great!” Obito abruptly stood, startling the young nurse. “Is she going to be alright? When can she leave?”

“O-oh! O-Obito Uchiha… I w-wasn’t expecting to see you here. I assumed that you would be swamped with missions and paperwork right about now.”

The nurse’s anxious demeanor perplexed Obito, but his name as a formidable ninja as well as a skilled Uchiha was quickly starting to spread across the village. Unbeknownst to the both of you, the strength and impressive capabilities of your boyfriend that had been developing over the years was beginning to grant him power of authority and leadership, which was catching the attention of villages across the nations, as well as the elders of the Hidden Leaf.

“Um, well… first I need to walk through the procedural steps of the department and congratulate you on your expectancy. I’ve brought various articles that you may find useful to help you prepare for the new arrival.”

“New arrival?”

“And to answer your first question, everything appears to be in order as of now, but your wife’s exposure to unknown toxins can have unanticipated aftereffects that may disrupt their development.”

“W-wife…?”

“We ask that she return to the Nursery Unit on a weekly basis so we can keep a close watch on your little one until we can confirm their health and development as stable.”

“H-huh?!” Obito backed away nervously and lifted his hand to cover his mouth while whispering in your ear, “Either this nurse has the wrong room or she’s completely crazy! She’s talking about nurseries and ‘little ones’ and other weird things.”

He then perceived the warmth of your hand wrapping around his fingers that pushed his hand away from your ear as you grasped at the other and gingerly brought both of his hands to your chest.

“She’s in the right room.”

“Then what is she-“

You genuinely struggled to lift your gaze off your lap to once again meet his hysteric expression with defeated, exhausted eyes, immediately convincing Obito to hold his tongue.

“Oh, surely you know?” the nurse added. “The tests confirm it. Obito, you and (y/n) are expecting a baby.”


	28. Life Goes On

_“Obito, you and (y/n) are expecting a baby.”_

Wide-eyed, Obito blinked twice at the news. His mouth hung slightly agape and his body stilled in fright while the rosy tinge of his blush stung at his cheeks.

“A… ba... uh… but… we…?”

Your expression grew more melancholy after each passing second of Obito’s unintelligible speech.

“She, there’s, I’m… d-dad…?” he babbled in your direction before yanking his head away sharply in sheepish apprehension upon sharing eye contact with you, to which your head lowered back to where your gaze landed on your lap, which caught the nurse’s attention.

“Tell me… have you been feeling down lately, Mrs. Uchiha?”

You jerked your head upwards in her direction and suddenly hissed, “Obito and I are not married!” prompting the nurse to flinch and for Obito to snap out of his stupefied daze and both to stare at you in fear and concern. Silence clouded the room, allowing you to reflect on the venom in your voice.

“Ah… I-I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to… I… y-yeah… I’ve been feeling… horrible lately…”

It greatly pained you to witness the worrisome expression on Obito’s face; you somehow managed to choke out what you had gone through that day on the way to the hospital – your grave mistake with the Kazekage, Orochimaru, his experiments, and _Tobi._ You were physically and emotionally unable to bring yourself to mention him by name to Obito, but seeing you so beaten down and shattered, you knew that Obito was in just as much pain as you were.

“Well, just try to put a cap on that stress level of yours. It’s normal to experience mood swings during pregnancy, but by the looks of it, the amount of stress you are currently undergoing can have serious consequences for your little one. Which also brings up the concern about the toxins you inhaled previously. Like I said before, we would like for you to return weekly so we can keep an eye on your child’s development; we don’t know what sort of harm that toxin can do to a developing child. In the meantime, I suggest finding methods to reduce your current stress levels. Other than that, you’re free to go,” the nurse concluded with a slight bow, but inhaled a slight gasp and nervously bent forward more upon making eye contact with Obito, his status as a high-leveled Uchiha prompting her to exhibit more respect within his presence.

* * *

 

The trek back home was a torturous one. The unrelenting chirping of numerous crickets in the distance were the only melody to accompany you. Obito insisted on carrying you bridal-style back home, as you still had minimal energy to do so yourself, but other than that, neither one of you spoke to each other. The news was still in the process of consolidating in your minds, but Obito’s especially. This truly was not what he was expecting to return home to.

 “…..”

“…Are you upset?”

Obito peered down at you for the first time since you two stepped foot outside before his gaze returned to the road, his gentle pace softly swayed you up and down with each step forward.

“…I wish you would start thinking things through before you run off somewhere. We’ve been dealing with this since we were kids. Even when you say you’re from ‘another world’ and somehow know what will happen, that doesn’t mean you’re invincible.” He then scanned your face once more to survey your reaction, his stress-rimmed eyes squinting slightly. “Unless you’re hiding something else from me.”

“No, I’m not. And… I-I don’t mean that, Obito. You know what I’m talking about.”

Obito understood what you were truly referring to, but fear and apprehension forced his mouth shut. He didn’t know what to think. On the outside, Obito was calm, unresponsive, but you knew that he was hysteric on the inside – overwrought with what it meant to be a parent. Late nights staying awake soothing the distressed crying, having to watch out for them every minute of every day, but what Obito feared most was being responsible for being his child’s role model. Being a parent meant teaching his kids everything – how to dress, how to act, perhaps in this case it meant teaching them how to be a formidable shinobi as well. Obito’s mind leaped with both fear and exhilaration at the idea. To pass down one’s knowledge to their successor to become an even stronger generation than the one before them – _that doesn’t sound so bad,_ Obito pondered. It meant that he would be their personal sensei – an idea that pulled an anxiety-ridden chuckle out of him. Then again, did he truly want his kid to become a ninja in the first place? Being a protector of the village was incredibly dangerous. He didn’t know if he could knowingly put his kid in danger like that.

_But with Uchiha in their blood, that would put their skills at an advantage, right? But will they even have their Sharingan? Heh… maybe I’m looking too far ahead here._

But could he even accept the responsibility of a child when he was so close to his ultimate goal of becoming Hokage? Such a steep change of plans would surely alter the chance of him receiving the ultimate responsibility of watching over the village. You knew this.

“I’m sorry…” you muttered under your breath. You weren’t sure if you were more sorry about running off against his wishes, or for the unexpected addition that will soon be occupying Obito’s home.

He watched your reaction as your exhausted eyes fastened their sight to the ground with a grave expression, full to the brim with accountability. Traces of soot still masked bits of your face, which told him of the struggle to escape the labyrinth, and your desperate attempts to take Tobi and the others with you. It took every ounce of your willpower not to break down in sobs upon retelling the events, but that didn’t stop a steady flow of tears from rolling down your cheeks and mixing with the ashy residue as it blended within your teardrops before dripping to the pavement below, marking the spots a faint grey wherever they landed.

“….”

“…No,” he replied softly. “I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Tired eyes lifted to search Obito’s after his surprise response. You knew that on the very rare times Obito apologizes, he means it.

“I know you’re a capable shinobi, even if you don’t always think so. I should spend less time worrying about you and have more faith in you. You’ve protected me more times than I can count, after all. It’s only fair. But that nurse is probably right. We should try to take it easy from here on out, for the sake of-” he finished while attempting to scan his eyes over your stomach but quickly darted them away while blushing. He wasn’t quite ready to openly acknowledge it yet.

Still, you wondered about Obito. Throughout your entire shinobi career, your focus was entirely on his wellbeing, and eventually your protectiveness began to extend to others, so much so that you readily disregard your own safety – perhaps too much.

_For most of my life, I’ve been trying so hard to protect Obito and the others…_

You peeked up silently at Obito, noting the various scratch marks, dried blood, and bags under his eyes while he continued to look out stoically but wearily into the distance as he gripped you tight against him.

_…but I’m hurting him so much in the process by putting myself in danger every time. Maybe… could it be that I’m not… I wasn’t meant to be a…_

That’s when you noticed your Hidden Leaf headband was no longer in your possession. You shook your head to jostle the thoughts away, and you two remained in solemn silence as he carried you the rest of the way home.

* * *

 

Gently as he could, Obito set you down on the chair at the kitchen table and subconsciously brushed against something else laying on the counter before digging into the cabinets above his head.

“I’m… guessing you’re kind of hungry…” which was Obito’s own way of asking you, even if you aren’t truly hungry, to please eat for him – and for the baby. You understood this, but you also hoped that he would eventually get comfortable enough to state it explicitly.

That’s when, in the corner of his eye, Obito spotted a precarious glimmer on the counter – the ring he’d been holding off proposing to you with. His ashy eyes widened in panic over the possibility of you spotting the object and he quickly turned over to press his back against the counter with both hands grasping the edge in a tight death grip in a desperate attempt to shield the ring from your scrutiny. You watched with jaded eyes as Obito smiled at you with his obvious ‘I’m-totally-not-hiding-something-from-you-or-anything-like-that’ toothy grin, but to his simultaneous relief and concern, you were too emotionally worn to question him about it like you usually do. Instead, you only sighed dejectedly, to which he took that fleeting moment to shove the ring behind a jar while trying to hand you a snack to nibble on. He then held you close to him, and with his hand subliminally gliding down toward your stomach, it jerked away with his fingers curling out of fear, as if your stomach was fragile and made of glass that was forbidden from touch, before his palm slowly and reluctantly made gentle contact with it once more and remained there. It wasn’t until that very moment did it finally hit Obito.

_I’m… going to be a dad._

* * *

 

Three months passed by at an agonizing pace, and your emotional and physical state had not improved. The weight of guilt over Tobi and the others still dominated your life.

 _“Why did you leave us there? Why did you let us die, (y/n)?”_ the various voices of those experiments chanted to you, over and over.

“No. I didn’t mean to-! I tried to save you all, but I couldn’t! I needed to save-“

“ _You couldn’t even save me,”_ a familiar but ominous voice of a little boy bellowed as you turned around to face a giant version of him.

“Tobi,” you pleaded between choking back tears. “I’m sorry for what happened to you. I thought I knew what to do. I knew for years, but everything is so different from what I’ve known. Please understand-“

“ _You left me to face Orochimaru alone.”_ Tobi towered over you; severe burns coated his scrawny body, his one blood-red eye leering down at you.

“No, I-“

_“You let me die.”_

“I’d never-!”

_“I suffered horribly because of you!”_

“ **NO**!”

“(y/n)? (y/n), angel, wake up.”

Breathes passed by you through sweat-inducing gasps as your upper half leaped up from your spot in bed. Your eyes desperately scanned the pitch-blackness of the room for the boy you were just begging forgiveness to, only to be met with a different Uchiha. One who conversely displayed concern and compassion for you as one hand gripped your trembling stomach that had just started to bulge without batting an eye, while the other cupped your sweaty cheek lovingly and assuredly.

“Another nightmare?”

While calming down you began to grow distant toward Obito and looked away while nodding clumsily.

“It was about him again… wasn’t it?”

“Y-yeah. Sorry. I-I’m-”

Obito cooed and shushed you gently while brushing the hair out of your face. “Hey, I’m here. You know I won’t let anything happen to you.”

* * *

 

“It’s time to go,” stated Obito calmly while scooping up various medical documents the nurses asked the two of you to fill out and return on the next visit.

“No,” you answered numbly while lazing and coiling between the sheets in bed.

“Come on, it’s just a routine visit at the hospital. We need to check on the baby,” he replied a bit more firmly as he secured a tight grip around your arm that was hanging off the side of the bed.

“I don’t feel like it.”

“This is the third time that you didn’t ‘feel like it,’ and for the third time, I’m telling you that I don’t care. Let’s go already, we’re… _running late again_ ,” his last words strained upon the effort of pulling you out of bed. The forceful action urged you to your feet, the added weight of your rounded stomach threw you off balance but Obito helped to steady you. With your head low, your feet began to drag and shuffle forward at a snail’s pace, prompting a sweatdrop and tick mark to form simultaneously on Obito’s temple as he sighed begrudgingly.

“You’re going to make me carry you all the way there again, aren’t you?”

“Sounds about right.”

With his eyes closed, Obito’s head lowered as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger and mumbled, “I bet not even the Hokage has a tougher job than I do right now.”

“Probably.”

* * *

 

 With the baby along the way, Obito’s overprotectiveness toward you amplified tenfold. If you wanted to go somewhere, he’d be there to join you to make sure you didn’t run into trouble. You needed to take a trip down the road to pick up something for dinner? “Let me do it, honey,” he would say. Every time. You were touched that Obito was so eager to help you in any way he could, and that he was coming around to becoming a father, but his overbearing nature was beginning to get on your nerves.

Sounds of a paper being crumpled filled the air before your hand angrily slapped down a ruined document onto the counter before sighing heavily with your face buried into your palms. Along its rough surface read the words written in bold red letters, ‘CRITICAL,’ and ‘HIGH RISK.’ You had just got the test results back in regards to you and Obito’s child’s health. After inhaling mysterious chemicals during your encounter with Orochimaru, the wellbeing of your child had been a deep concern for the two of you.

_I truly can’t escape what I did, can I?_

Such a terrifying stressor only enhanced your inner turmoil since then, and it frequently manifested in unhealthy ways and would be directed outward toward the wrong people. The overwhelming stress coupled with your mounting depression continued to build and build, until finally, you couldn’t take it anymore.

“I don’t need you to come.”

“What do you mean? I always go with you.”

“But aren’t you getting tired of it? You can leave it to me, I can handle this myself.”

“I’d rather go with you.”

You clenched your teeth in irritation at Obito. You’d just about had it.

“And I’d rather you stay here for once!”

“Wha? What’s gotten into you, (y/n)?”

“Can I just do _anything_ on my own?” Aggression riddled your every step as you charged closer to Obito, who was standing upright facing you.

“You treat me like I can’t do anything right!”

“(y/n), stop. You know that’s not it. I’m coming with you,” he insisted with a particular seriousness in his voice.

“No. You’re not,” you responded through gritted teeth.

Obito glared silently for a moment; in his mind, a thousand thoughts were racing, none of which presented themselves through words, but rather through his tense body language.

“What’s with you, Obito? Why can’t you just trust me?!”

Obito’s expression then morphed from neutral to serious agitation as he shook his head swiftly and snapped, “Becau-” but paused abruptly. Giving a reason would be admitting to it, admitting that he doesn’t trust you being on your own.

“What was that?” you asked sarcastically. “Go on. Finish what you were about to say.”

At that, you two were mere inches apart. The air around you was still for a moment, with Obito’s dark eyes glaring directly below to you with increasing anger and frustration visible within them. After everything he’s done for you these past few months to make you comfortable and feel better, and you are _upset_ with him? Both of you took turns listening to each other’s heavy breathing generated by the increased adrenaline coursing through your bodies as the thick tension continued to intensify.

“Admit it, even after all this time you still think I’m too weak to be on my own, baby or not!”

With his face contorting further into displeasure, Obito finally broke off the aggressive eye contact and twisted his body away from you. He needed to cool off, but you refused to back down.

“Listen, we may be having a kid, but _I’m_ not some big baby, you know!”

“And _I’m_ not just your punching bag, (y/n)!” Obito finally snapped back as his body instantly jerked back to confront you; his eyes instinctively activated his Sharingan in his sudden outburst he tried so hard to repress, which was plenty enough to shock you into a slightly more submissive state.

“You keep saying that you don’t need me to protect you, but it’s **you** who insists on always getting into trouble! Remember the last time you went on your own? Now because you _had_ to find some Orochimaru guy, you breathed in fumes that put you and our kid in danger! Now we need to keep checking our child’s health with those snobby nurses every week! You make it seem like I _want_ to follow you around everywhere, but I’M ONLY TRYING TO KEEP YOU AND OUR BABY SAFE SINCE **YOU** DON’T WANT TO!”

Obito’s booming voice echoed throughout the oriental house before its walls were hushed once more. It took a while, but you had finally pushed him too far.

“O-Obito… I…” you muttered as he began to trudge past you, ignoring your now meek demeanor.

_What have I done?_

“W-wait… Obito, p-please-“

His vigorous steps slowed to a halt.

“D-don’t… please… don’t go…” Tears threatened to spill from your eyes, which were enough for Obito to glance over his shoulder in your direction, looking unamused, but still clearly 100% concerned and loyal to you. It took another moment before he rotated around to face you once more, but calmly this time. It was then his Sharingan picked up traces of varying chakra signatures. Within you coursed the familiarity of your lush green chakra, but even deeper held something else. Glazing his crimson eyes over your slightly protruding stomach, Obito cautiously inspected the faint chakra inside you. It felt foreign – yet familiar, as if it were a blend of his and your chakra to create a new, unique signature. It was so weak and muffled, but there it was – cyan chakra, the perfect mix of yours and Obito’s chakra: mostly light blue with streaks of green within them. It was so beautiful. Obito couldn’t believe that he didn’t spot this chakra earlier. In the middle of the pulsing field of cyan chakra was a tiny heartbeat; he found it so astounding that something so tiny and fragile could be of his own flesh and blood. He’d never seen anything more perfect in his life. It acted as an instant stress reliever; taking a deep breath and retracting his Sharingan, Obito sauntered over to you and pulled you into a tight but gentle embrace before exhaling one large breath he’d been holding in. Immediately, he felt at home again, with his family.

_I… I can’t keep treating him like this… but I don’t know what I can do about it. I feel so miserable… so… lost…_

That’s when a picture in the corner of the room caught your eye – Obito’s old team photo of him, Kakashi, Rin, and…

_Of course!_

“Please,” you requested softly. “Put me down... just for a minute.”

“(y/n)?”

“Please… I need to see someone.”

“(y/n), no, I feel like I only now just got you back. I’m not letting you go again. Especially now that you’re-“

Your tired and stern look cut Obito off as he remembered what he apologized to you for only a few months back. He needed to have more faith in you. He wanted to show you that he believes you can do things on your own.

Reluctantly, he eased you down, and your weak and wobbly legs proceeded to guide you to your destination, but not before turning back to face your covertly distraught boyfriend, evidenced by the concerned crease in his eyebrows.

“I’ll meet you back here soon. I promise.”

Obito simply nodded.

“And Obito.”

“….”

“Don’t forget… that I love you.”

He watched a minuscule grin slip past your lips for the first time that night, and he couldn’t help but mirror your tiny smirk with his own, as he asked softly, “So much?” to which you replied with gentle eyes and just as softly, “So much.”

* * *

 

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK* The amount of force required to knock on a simple door proved to be a difficult task for you in this state. You were surprised that the nurses let you go so readily in spite of your deteriorating physical and mental health over the past few months. You speculated that it was probably due to your sudden unwarranted outburst to that one nurse when you first arrived to your hospital room. Perhaps you would consider writing an apology letter to her if you ever got around to it.

The door swayed open a moment later and distinct blue eyes linked with yours in an instant.

“(y/n),” Minato greeted in mild surprise. He always expected you to meet him during his hours in office, not at his family home. Judging by the noise and child-like laughter emanating from the inside, and the little paper cone strapped to the top of his spiky-blond hair, it sounded like you were interrupting a birthday party.

“M-Minato sensei,” you bowed with exhaustion. “Please forgive me, but it’s important. I… I need your help.”

Without any more prompting, Minato stepped backward into his home, gesturing you inside. Upon entering, kids ranging in ages eight through twelve immediately swarmed you and a dozen pairs of eyes settled on your weak stature.

“Whoa, look at her.”

“She looks dead.”

“It can’t be _that_ hard being a high level ninja!”

Between the chattering, a pair of hands split the crowd, and Naruto, now thirteen years old, came cruising out.

“That’s nothing! You guys all know that _my_ dad’s the Hokage! No amount of work (y/n)-sensei does will ever come close to what he gets to do!”

_(y-y/n)-sensei…?!_

“Enough, Naruto,” Minato commanded. Despite the noticeably reduced tone, and even though the Hokage himself is raising him, Naruto still had trouble holding his tongue, you observed with the slightest bit of amusement. Even though his voice wasn’t as resounding or obnoxious as it was in the original show, Naruto still held that uncanny ability to say whatever was on his mind, no matter who he was raised by.

_Some things never change._

Kushina managed to distract the crowd by bringing out a traditional confetti party ball, allowing time for you and Minato to secure a private area in his personal study room.

“It’s been a while… since we met outside of our duties huh,” you remarked, trying extra hard to sound casual, which only made your internal pain even more salient to the brilliant Minato.

He didn’t even need to state anything. You both knew that he could see right through you.

“Minato-sensei, for the past few months, there’s something that I’ve… been hiding from you, even though you’re the one I’ve shared my secrets with. I need to talk to you… in regards to Orochimaru… and what’s going on with me and Obito… and… I wanted to discuss with you… about my status as a shinobi…”

* * *

 

“I see… you managed to detect Orochimaru, and you say he’s still conducting live experiments,” he affirmed and you nodded slowly in guilt. “And he was sent away by a boy named Tobi… he must have underestimated the hidden power inside of Tobi and in doing so let his guard down enough to conduct an emergency escape.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this sooner, sensei. I was so scared of the consequences of leaving the village unauthorized and I… I’m so… ashamed of…”

Minato shook his head in mild disagreement. “Don’t concern yourself with that. I’ve already pardoned you. You’ve clearly gone through enough. Thank you for your report, (y/n). I’ll see that my first order in the morning will be to conduct an extensive investigation on Orochimaru’s whereabouts, to prevent disasters like what happened to Tobi from happening again.”

“The disaster that happened… because of me… I left everyone behind to save Tobi… but… I couldn’t even save him… I couldn’t protect them… I… I failed…”

Minato observed you quietly while in deep thought. He hadn’t seen you this lost since your first personal talk with him over ten years ago.

“(y/n), allow me to tell you something I’ve learned during my time as Hokage. With this position comes leadership, and with leadership comes a strong bond between you and your allies.” At that, Minato raised his head slightly and grinned as he recalled times with his old teammates and friends while growing up. After another moment passed, his light expression shifted to sullen and morose before trailing his attention back to you. “With that said, in dire times, such as in times of war, you have no choice but to watch your comrades fall. (y/n), your sense of duty is admirable, but one thing you and Obito must recognize as shinobi, is that no matter how hard one tries, even with all the knowledge in the world…”

Curious but misty (e/c) eyes raised to meet with Minato’s as he lowered himself respectfully to speak to you on an equal level.

“You can’t save everyone.”

Emotionally drained, you nodded quietly, soaking in Minato’s words like a sponge.

At that, Minato’s own expression softened while a firm hand made familiar contact with your shoulder.

“I’m not telling you this to make you feel worse about what happened, (y/n). In fact, it’s the direct opposite. I’m telling you so I can help you accept it. I know you may be hesitant, and I know it’s painful, but it’s not healthy to dwell in the past for an extended period of time. By clinging to what was, or what could have been, you’re stopping yourself from tapping your energy fully into what should be. Since you’ve paved this future, you must adapt to it, embrace it, and most importantly, believe in it. Once you do, only then are you able to move on and work toward the future you and Obito deserve. You have your own child to worry about now, and have faith in me when I say that as a parent, you will want to spend every waking second to ensure the safety of your own flesh and blood. It’s only natural. Mulling over numerous other children will sap the precious energy that should be spent caring for your own child while they’re still developing inside of you. Be sure to focus on them as well during your own recovery. They need you more than anything else.”

_Minato’s right. I’ve been so caught up in the children from the past that I’ve been neglecting my own child. No wonder Obito’s been trying so hard to provide for us. All those times where he’s insisted that I eat when I didn’t want to, or drag me to those doctor’s appointments… he’s been supplying the care for the baby to make sure they’re getting what they need while I’ve been a depressed mess and refused to help this whole time. I need to try harder… for the both of them._

You squeezed your eyes shut, lowered your head and nodded gradually as tears spilled out harder upon trying to accept Minato’s tough advice. But something about the sensation of your weeps felt different than those previous other times. It felt as though all the stress and pain were exiting directly from your eyes in the form of tears cascading down your cheeks. Minato watched how your face described your inner turmoil, and how it then expressed relief more than any other emotion. Each passing moment from that point on drained you of your guilt and torment and was replaced with a sense of freedom and elation. Your sobs were a bittersweet melody concocted by a beautiful blend of conflicting emotions that needed to be harnessed then released. This was it. You felt ready to confront your demons, to let go of the past and finally move forward.

“You’re lucky to be alive, (y/n). You both are,” he concluded as his eyes descended to your stomach. “Just remember, it’s essential to protect yourself, and in doing so, you’re protecting others from harm as well.”

“But how can that be, sensei?”

“Take Obito for example. I’m sure he felt completely lost when you went to search for Orochimaru. Keeping yourself safe would put him at ease and allow him to do his best going forward.”

“…You know what, sensei…? You’re right. You are absolutely right. That’s why… I’ve been thinking… I wanted to tell you… that I think it’d be best if I…”

_Just spit it out!_

“…retire as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village.”

Immediately Minato lifted his palm from your shoulder, clearly taken aback by the abrupt announcement. Peeking up into his eyes presented you with the most surprised expression you had ever seen on the ordinarily levelheaded Hokage.

"Let’s face it. I don’t know how to keep myself safe. There’s no excuse for a shinobi like me to face death and rely on others to get me out of it, especially when they… lose their own life in the process…”

Your expression lowered in sorrow before shifting back to Minato once more.

“I'm tired of making Obito worry sick over me. I'm supposed to be the one that makes him happy the most, but it feels like I'm only causing him grief by living this way, Minato-sensei.”

At that, his surprised demeanor dissipated. He was still shocked but pleased that you were taking his advice to heart.

“Maybe I wasn't cut out to be a ninja... but what if... someone else is..." you trailed off as your hand descended over your slightly protruding stomach, gliding over its round surface and appreciating its beauty with utmost clarity for what felt like the very first time.

“Minato-sensei… thank you.”

Opening the door to exit the private room revealed numerous kids huddled against the frame with their ears pressed to the wall as one clumsily fell onto your feet before flashing you a nervous and guilty smile.

“So what were they talking about?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t hear anything because Kiba wouldn’t shut up!”

Naruto stood in the center of the crowd with his head tilted and eyes and mouth in a straight line, clearly confused. “So there’s a kid in (y/n)-sensei’s belly?” to which all the kids stopped and gasped in awe.

You and Minato sweatdropped simultaneously before Naruto opened his eyes and directed his sight to the space above your head in puzzlement.

Sakura had been standing next to Naruto, respectfully remaining quiet up to this point. Her cherry-blossom hair was still at a respectfully long length even after the Chunin exams due to not being the target of Orochimaru or his henchmen. “Naruto, don’t you think it’s a bit rude to announce (y/n)’s business like th-“

“But for that to happen,” Naruto interrupted. “wouldn’t she and Obito-sensei need to have–“

A bulging tick mark surfaced on the pink-haired girl’s temple as she screeched, “WHY DON’T YOU JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS?!” and a raging fist swung against Naruto’s chin in an uppercut before he could finish, as he went through the ceiling and remained stuck there with his legs frantically squirming above.

The unbearably awkward silence that followed Naruto’s inquiry coupled with the snickers and stares from the kids sent waves of mortification through your body, with your face flushed red from embarrassment. Minato’s own face was full of unamusement and disbelief as one of his eyebrows began twitching from his son’s antics. You began to laugh nervously and cocked your head to the side coyly while exiting the home, all while attempting to ignore Naruto’s allusion to what had to have happened to have Obito’s baby inside of you.

_Never change, Naruto._

* * *

 

Obito paced back and forth along the ornate wooden flooring of his Uchiha home. You should have been home by now - his mind implored him.

_Maybe I should go check up on her, just in case – no, I need to have faith in (y/n), just like how she always has faith in me._

His pacing paused abruptly and Obito grasped at the dark spikes of his hair in anxious frustration. Just then, the front door creaked open and slowly you treaded inside, any remaining energy not being used up by the baby was quickly depleted from the long walk back home.

“(y/n)-“

“Obito,” you interjected before mustering the strength to approach Obito and envelop him into a strong hug, one that caught him off guard by just how insistent and desperate your body language was. He couldn’t remember the last time you held him with such fervency.

“Obito, I’m sorry. I’m _so_ sorry for the way I’ve been treating you. I’ve been trying to convince myself that I can handle things, to try and make up for all the mistakes I’ve made. All this time you’ve been working extra hard to keep us safe, and I would always just throw it back in your face. Please don’t let me make you think you’re doing anything wrong, Obito. You insist on doing everything for me because you care about us, and I couldn’t see that. Please don’t forget how much we appreciate you.”

 _We…_ Obito pondered the implications behind your words to himself before his arms wrapped around your lower back, gently pulling you toward him until his slender stomach brushed subtly against your extended belly. You and Obito then began to sway side to side in comfort and rekindled affection, slowly dancing in silence.

“I’m sorry. I’m going to try harder for us. Things will be different from this point on, Obito.”

“Yeah,” he replied just as solemnly while continuing to rock you placidly, his eyes settling on the ring partially hidden behind a jar on the counter.

“They will be.”


	29. Awakening

“Seriously… when was the last time we got to do this?” you asked in gentle wonder while Obito climbed onto the roof of his house, immediately twisted around, and offered his hand to lift you up with him.

“Heh, yeah… it almost feels like we haven’t done this since we were kids,” he replied while helping you get comfortable with laying down. Your now swollen stomach told of how many months were left before officially meeting your little one – two and a half months to go, which meant that sleeping and finding the right position became quite the tiresome task. Instead of lying on your back as per usual during stargazing, you had no choice but to lay on your side to avoid crushing your guts from the baby’s increasing weight.

“Are you comfy?”

“I’ll live.”

“What if you moved over this way?”

“Obito, I’m fine.”

“R-right! I know that,” he declared with fake confidence which you detected instantly.

Obito was acting strange. He appeared even more discomposed than usual. What was even stranger was his sudden insistence on stargazing with you that night. Looking up at the stars and telling stories and jokes was an activity you and Obito spent countless nights doing together back when you two were young, but increased duties and responsibilities as shinobi had dampened Obito’s availability to do this with you. Even though Minato had managed to lessen the tension between the Hidden Leaf and Cloud village after Kusuo Uchiha’s interference years ago, that did not mean that peace was achieved during that time. In fact, the two villages were borderline at war with each other, and with other villages acting as allies for both sides that only meant that other nations would get involved as well. With the threat of war came more frequent and difficult missions. With you out of commission, that only meant more work for poor Obito. When you admitted to him about your plans to retire as a shinobi, Obito was livid. He couldn’t understand why you would vow to protect the village, only to just give up. That is, until he learned of the reasoning behind your decision -

_"Obito, the reason why I became a ninja in the first place was so I could protect you. Now you've given me someone else to protect with my life. Besides, someone's gonna have to teach them how to be a proper ninja while you're out on Hokage business. They’ll help you take care of the village. I’ll make sure of that."_

The supportive and reassuring smile you flashed Obito immediately after had since then never left his thoughts. It was still so crystal clear to him whenever he thought about it. What a beautiful image to accompany equally beautiful words. It helped to make the life-changing decision he had plans for the slightest bit easier for the increasingly distraught Uchiha.

 _This is the night,_ Obito chanted to himself to calm his jolting nerves and erratically beating heart. _Don’t screw this up, Obito!_

“I love how, even after all these years, the stars still look the same to me,” you noted absentmindedly, which prompted Obito to glance over at you in genuine fascination.

“The world where you’re from… were the stars the same there like they are here?”

Your face scrunched up in deep thought as you scrutinized the positioning of the stars carefully. It had been so long.

“I’m… not sure. At this point I’m not even certain that I’d even recognize my old home.”

Obito had since grown accustomed to the idea of you being from another world. How could he not? It wasn’t entirely that hard to believe – he possesses the power to travel between different dimensions with his Sharingan, after all.

“Do you ever… wish that you could go back?” he asked uncomfortably with immediate fear that he wouldn’t like the answer.

Immediately your expression turned sour and glum. The only time you actively wished to go back was the night you lost Tobi. Since then, you felt rather lost about where your permanent home is, or what your role was supposed to be in this world.

“Sometimes… I wonder where home is, but then I remember that it doesn’t matter, because home is wherever you are. I love you, Obito.”

The look of pure, genuine awe and tenderness engraved within Obito’s eyes at your answer sent butterflies to your stomach. He clearly returned those intimate feelings of adoration and devotion for you, if not more so.

“But no matter where I am, I will never forget how breathtakingly bright the stars are,” you remarked in a relaxed tone, despite your aching back and hips from the weight of your baby bump and the uncomfortably stiff tiles of the roof.

“Yeah,” replied Obito while his fingers fidgeted against something in his front pocket. “They almost look like… diamonds…”

“Alright you big creep, what’s on your mind? You’ve been acting… dorkier than usual lately,” you teased with endearment in your tone.

“Wh-what are you talking about? Can I not take my family out to see the stars once in a while?”

Obito’s words immediately wiped the gentle smirk off your face and replaced it with open-mouthed wonder. He had finally openly acknowledged what you three were.

“A… family…” you whispered under your breath while gazing at your boyfriend in awe. Obito had grown up and matured so spectacularly, and yet, his wonderfully dark eyes still brought you comfort in knowing that he was still the same eccentric and determined Obito you fell in love with countless years ago. His face remained clear of any scars, and the beacon of hope for this world still lit up the fire in his eyes.

As you continued to stare, Obito had taken notice and you couldn’t help but chuckle at the pink tinge that spread along his cheeks while trying to discreetly avoid your direction. He was definitely up to something, but what?

In the midst of your blatant admiration of your boyfriend, you suddenly felt your baby shift into a distracting position, prompting your chuckle to morph into a low grunt of discomfort, which caught Obito’s attention in its entirety.

“A-are you… okay?” he asked as his gentle hand raised and mapped out the indent in your stomach where his baby was resting.

“I’m okay… I just think… they’re getting a little antsy in there… and so am I, to tell you the truth.”

Obito sighed before easing onto his back in a horizontal position next to you, with his sights landing on your stomach. “If you asked me a year ago where I thought we’d be in life… this probably wouldn’t have been my answer…”

Confused and slightly hurt, your head jerked up in Obito’s direction. “Wh-what do you mean by that…? You mean you aren’t… happy where we are…?”

“Well…” stuttered Obito as he finally mustered the courage to secure a sturdy grip on the object in his pocket. “I guess you could say that…”

“Wh-what? Obito, you’re… but I thought… I… is it because of the baby…?  We really make you… _that_ unhappy…?” you muttered while tears began flooding and clouding your eyes. After all this time of planning and having a future together… and you made Obito… _unhappy?_ Even the simple idea of it made you sick to your stomach.

“H-huh? N-no wait! I – I didn’t mean it like that!” he blurted out in between hastily grasping at your hands and stomach in reassurance. “What I meant was… if you asked me where I thought we’d be… or more specifically, where you would be… I would’ve said… well…” Obito chuckled nervously before pausing and stroking down his face with his palm in embarrassment and apprehension. He knew this would be hard, but Obito didn’t quite realize just how vulnerable of a position he’d be putting himself into.

“Do you remember… what we agreed to name our kid if they’re a boy? (Name), right?”

You nodded gleefully. “And (Name) for a girl. (Name) Uchiha…” Your eyes went half-lidded in delight and content at the names you and Obito agreed to. To think that you were about to add a new member to the Uchiha clan when they almost went extinct once upon a time. You just hoped that the fumes you inhaled won’t put a wrench in those plans somehow.

“Do you think they’ll be okay? With Orochimaru’s fumes being a threat and all…”

“Don’t think about it that way. They’ll be amazing, no matter what happens.” Obito stated assumingly while patting your stomach. He would never even begin to express how nervous he was on his child’s condition, but he meant every word he said. This means the world to him.

“But you’re fine with naming them after my clan? I know there’s nobody else with a last name like yours, but your background matters, too. Even if you aren’t ‘from here’,” he emphasized the last few words with air quotes.

Obito watched your eyes light up upon the mention of his clan. It gave him the perfect idea.

“It’s an honor having them take over their dad’s name. Don’t ever forget how incredible your heritage is, Obito. I want our kid to carry on your family name. More than anything.”

 _Now’s the time,_ he chanted to himself.

_Play it cool._

_Be smooth._

_Yeah, I got this._

 “The Uchiha Clan… I know you have respect for them, but… do you… like it?”

“Do I like the clan? Well of course I do, Obito!” you declared enthusiastically before laying back down and allowing a wave of nostalgia to wash over you upon observing the stars. “Don’t you remember all those years ago in your room… when I told you that I’m... kind of jealous that I’m not in the clan?”

Anxious fingers tapped at your bulging stomach for a few moments.

“…Alright, alright, I’ll admit that I’m _extremely_ jealous that I’m not a part of the Uchiha cl-“

“W-would you like to be?” Obito interjected without thinking, prompting your eyes to widen in pure shock and a reddened blush to awaken on both your faces.

“Would I like to be… part of the clan…? _Y-your_ clan?”

 “Y-yeah! A-and about earlier… where you thought that I… wasn’t happy with the baby… it’s true that I didn’t think we’d have them here so soon… but now that we are…” he muttered while wrapping a trembling hand around yours. “Listen… growing up, I never really had much for family… I never even knew my own parents… but now, I get it. Being a parent and having a family… that’s true happiness. I never admitted it to you before, but I… I always saw you as family, (y/n). You always brought along with you this sense of familiarity and comfort, one that always said to me, ‘this is home.’ The thing is, I sense that with our child, too. It’s… it’s an incredible feeling, (y/n). I know you don’t have the Sharingan so it’s hard to understand exactly what I mean, but at the very least, what I can do… is make your wish come true… and make you an official part of my family… a part of the Uchiha clan.”

Your eyes widened while your gaze followed Obito’s hand buried deep in his pocket before pulling back with him a humble gold band with a lone crimson-colored diamond centered in front. Its rich redness matched the vibrant color of the Uchiha’s Sharingan. The glimmer of the moon and stars only aided in enhancing the beauty splayed out in Obito’s quivering grasp.

“I don’t want it to just be me and the baby to have the same last name. It wouldn’t be fair to you. You’re family to me. And… for a while now… I’ve been meaning to ask you,”

“….”

“You’ve always been an important part of my life. So now…”

“…will you… let me be all of yours?”

You stared wide-eyed at the trembling hand clutching the gold band before shifting your gaze to the face of your boyfriend. Sweat masked his face, and the straining blush on his cheeks only deepened after each passing moment that you stayed silent.

Finally, your lips cracked slightly open.

“O-Obito… you mean… I… your wife…? I… I…”

A sudden firm and forceful kick emanating from inside your stomach snapped you out of your shock, forcing out a weak, “oof,” which prompted a nervous smirk to form on Obito’s lips. “Looks like they’re all for it,” he chuckled.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” you said while rubbing your stomach before relinking with Obito’s dark, charcoal eyes. You leaned closer to him until your foreheads pressed together, lovingly brushing your noses while you both smiled and giggled in a blend of nerves and glee. Once the giddiness died down, Obito watched your eyes close, and his followed soon after. Your lips were mere centimeters apart, and before they could meet in a comforting embrace, you whispered, “Yes. Please,”

“Marry me.”

After living under constant stress for so long, the union of your lips felt like the sweetest breath of fresh air; it brought along sentiments you had almost forgotten about – all the love Obito carried for you in his heart, his simultaneous excitement and apprehension over starting a family with you, all those bittersweet feelings of reflecting every moment you two spent together over the years. You both got to relive each of these feelings every time your lips connected with your fiancé’s and embraced for the first time as a family. How wonderful they felt. Obito sighed softly in a unique satiation upon meeting with your lips again. He then clasped you tight and began mapping out the curves of your body while doing so. He was taken aback, as if he were doing it for the first time. Even years after being together, you still astounded him by how incredible you were. Anybody observing you two from the outside looking in would describe your kiss as somewhat awkward with a lot of fumbling, but to you, his kisses were always pleasing and sensual. The spiritual connection between you two was indescribable to those who are not familiar with the beauty of being on the receiving end of genuine love from an Uchiha. The passion in his eyes after accepting his proposal amplified the ecstatic feeling of love you held for one another. It was as though all of his doubts and worries evaporated away once you returned his idea of love and marriage with matching warmth and eagerness. You took a moment to wipe off the saliva coating your face after his passionate and wordless embrace, noting how since the first kiss Obito has always been a messy kisser, often leaving behind a trail evidencing his signature pecks. It didn’t matter to you. You both were too captivated with the passion laced within his well-meaning actions and plans to spend the rest of your lives together.

It was this point where any remnants of doubt or apprehension escaped you.

_This is where I’m supposed to be. This is home._

 

* * *

 

The labored and unregulated pattern of your breathing was all you could focus on while waddling back home. You had spent the entire day with Rin planning for your wedding and all the complications associated with it – trying to fit into the dress with your ever-growing stomach, calculate how much food and drink will be enough for the guests, and the worst of it all; customizing the invites to send to potential guests. You admittedly did not have an extensive list of friends, so the invite list was rather short on your end, however, Obito was ecstatic about the day – perhaps a bit too much to the point where he didn’t mind inviting everyone in the whole village. His list exceeded the capacity your back yard can hold at a time, so dealing with that wore you down to the core.

Even though there was still quite some time before the baby’s arrival, the added weight and positioning of your pronounced stomach proved to be quite the unexpected challenge to a simple task such as walking. To your delight, a lone bench situated in the near distance, and your feet shuffled toward it for a coveted and sorely needed break. On your way there, you spotted three shadows murmuring to each other and strolling to the seat as well; one stood tall while peering down at the other two figures, while the second was trying hard to plan their steps casually and act cool, as if to impress the other two. Their body language and posture made it easy to distinguish them as the famous Uchiha brothers – Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha, accompanied by Itachi’s lifelong friend, Shisui Uchiha. You contemplated skipping the break in favor of making a straight shot for home in fear of disrupting the famous trio, but hearing a subtle cough in the midst of the older brother’s conversation reminded you of something. Something you needed to do.

_Things may be entirely different in this timeline, but Itachi died from some mysterious illness in the show. What if that illness is hurting him, even now? There’s no way he would tell anyone, especially Sasuke. Since he lived among the Akatsuki originally, he didn’t have access to good medical care. I need to find some way to convince him to get checked out in the hospital just in case, but how? Itachi and Shisui are probably the two smartest ninjas in the whole village. I’ll need a miracle for them to not immediately see right through me._

As if on cue, Itachi took a seat on the bench while Shisui lectured Sasuke proudly on some complex kunai throwing technique while you mimicked Itachi’s actions with caution shortly after. The next step was figuring out how to initiate a casual conversation that seemed natural. This wasn’t typically hard for you since it was common of village folk to waltz up and begin inquiring about your baby – its gender, any nicknames, all of which you weren’t sure about yet, so all you had to do was wait until that moment arrived then steer the conversation in your favor.

After a while of you two sitting in silence, you became somewhat taken aback that Itachi hadn’t explicitly noted your baby bump. But this was Itachi you were talking about here. You knew for a fact that he was analyzing you internally. It looked like you would have to be the pilot of this discussion. That is until two other voices disrupted you from your thoughts.

“I could do it if I wanted to.”

“Oh yeah?” teased Shisui. “What’d we spend all day practicing for then, if you’ve apparently mastered it?”

At his prodding, Sasuke’s withdrawn act instantly faded as he peaked his eyes open in the direction of Shisui. “How about I take you on right now?”

“Easy there, bud. You wouldn’t want to harm your future superior of the Police Force,” Shisui winked at him humorously. “Not that you’d be able to land a hit on me anyway.”

With Sasuke and Shisui distracted, you made your move.

“Itachi, is it?” you instigated while looking straight ahead, though you watched in your peripheral vision that he responded with his head turning silently in your direction, indicating that you had at least a shred of his precious attention.

_Remember, (y/n). You have to play dumb!_

You knew Itachi was sharp, likely even the most clever in the village. You had to be extremely careful about what you said, as even the smallest slip or insinuation could give your secret away and force a wedge of doubt about you to develop in his mind.

“Um… do you know… who I am…?”

Itachi continued to glare stoically before breaking off to stare ahead once more. “(y/n) (l/n). You helped Shisui and I on our Kusuo investigation back when there was still tension among the clan and village.

_He remembers me even when he was so young?!_

“R-right! So, your brother… he wants to be a member of the Police Force with Shisui, huh?”

 _Even with Sasuke’s family still alive and together, he is still so ambitious,_ you noted to yourself.

Itachi’s eyes shifted suspiciously at your inquiry and his head returned to your general direction. “What do you know of my little brother,” he demanded in an eerily calm manner.

“I-I know that he thinks the world of you.”

The sounds of Sasuke and Shisui play wrestling nearby attracted your attention for a moment, but Itachi’s glare remained situated on you.

“S-so I was heading back from the prenatal wing in the hospital earlier,” you began anxiously while still gazing out in the distance. “They’ve renovated the space there recently and I love what they’ve done with the place. They put up these little hanging storks to get us all excited and prepared for becoming parents, it’s, uh, pretty funny to see, actually. You should check it out sometime!”

“….”

_This isn’t working, (y/n)!!_

“So, have you, um… been to the hospital lately…? Been sick at all?”

He didn’t reply; he was likely choosing to dissect your intentions rather than humor your small talk. That didn’t stop a strained cough from escaping his lips, however.

“How long have you had that cough?”

He finally felt inclined to answer. “What’s the purpose of you asking?”

“I was just thinking… if you’ve had it for a while… then maybe it’s a bit more serious than the act you’re putting on for Sasuke.”

“Is this girl bugging you?” Sasuke interjected while Shisui noted the dumbfounded expression on Itachi’s face.

“Not now, little brother,” he replied almost coldly without tearing his scrutiny away from your ever-increasing anxious form. “Shisui, please take Sasuke home and leave us to talk for a moment.”

“That’s not fair, you never let me stay and do anything,” argued Sasuke before Shisui locked him in a friendly and choke hold in a joking manner.

“So why did we spend the last four hours of our precious time training you then?”

“Oh brother,” he replied with unamusement riddling his voice while rolling his eyes.

“Yes?” Itachi responded in a rhetorical manner with the slightest smirk cracking on his lips, to which Sasuke scoffed before returning his grin and went along their way, leaving you and Itachi to talk in solidarity. You made a quick note of amusement how Sasuke is a tad more cheery than his old vigilante self. There was a spark in his eyes – one that expressed that he is proud of his family. Proud of his clan.

“It’s no question that Sasuke means everything to you, too. So why don’t you tell him?”

“It’s not of his concern, nor is it yours.”

“Itachi... you may think you’re protecting Sasuke now, but what about when you can’t hide that illness anymore? How do you think he would react when he finds out you’ve been lying to him this whole time?”

“….”

“Please, even if you still decide against going to a hospital, at least tell him. Tell Sasuke that it’s not a head cold. Trust me when I say that I had my own inner demons hidden away for years, too, and I implore you.”

You struggled to your feet to continue your trek back home, but not before looking over your shoulder back at Itachi with a knowing smirk.

“Once you share the truth with those who are most precious to you, it’s the most liberating feeling in the world.”

You silently pleaded that Itachi will choose to heed your advice to confess his illness to his beloved brother and possibly seek medical treatment, but the rest was out of your hands.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, welcome, Obito! We weren’t sure if you would be making it today,” the nurse stated calmly to the visibly distraught Uchiha. “Your fiancée is in room 12B.”

“She’s, uh, my wife now… as of today, actually,” he chuckled nervously. “It’s a good thing they didn’t want to come out an hour early before it was official, or it would’ve been an even bigger mess.”

“I see, so your little one just couldn’t wait another day,” replied the nurse while smiling reassuringly. “The procedure was performed without any complications. Just try not to be as jumpy when you enter the room. Your… wife had been rather on edge since she arrived here, from going through this alone I reckon.” Her demeanor suddenly shifted to accusingly as she stared down Obito while he closed his eyes and grinned innocently but nervously. After spending an extended period of time at the hospital and getting to know the sweet and goofy side of Obito, the nurse allowed her professionalism to drop to rather unacceptable levels. Unbeknownst to her, there was a reason why he was late.  He was still dressed in a dark blue traditional montsuki kimono with the Uchiha symbol etched throughout its design, most notably on his shoulders. The marriage ceremony had been that very morning, and while Obito was now officially your husband, and you were now an Uchiha, a few rather unexpected turns managed to pervade the day.

 

* * *

 

_“Obito, look,” Rin announced sweetly. “It’s a messenger bird, and it looks like it’s coming right for you!”_

_“Make sure you hold your arm out for it, dummy!” you remarked playfully to your new husband while in your stunning dark blue wedding kimono dress, one that had a large Uchiha symbol right on the back, as Obito had envisioned innumerable times in the past. It had been specifically fitted for maternity, as your front sported a cute and stretched baby bump. You were due any time next month._

_He raised an unsteady arm for the bird to perch on before unraveling the note and began to read with his back facing you. He was expecting yet another ‘congratulations’ letter, but the words engraved into that sheet sent booming waves of insuppressible joy throughout the Uchiha. You watched his head lower slightly and his back begin to tremble, and you started to worry._

_“I-I don’t believe it,” he murmured._

_“Obito, what-“_

_Without warning, he whirled around and engulfed you and Rin into a tight, crushing and inescapable hug before picking you up and swaying you side to side._

_“Just when I thought this day couldn’t be better! Look at this!”_

_“Ah! B-be careful, Obito! The baby…!”_

_“Oh, right!”_

_Once Obito set you down, he couldn’t help but shove the document in your face before you even had a chance to stabilize yourself. The note described Obito’s past achievements and various abilities, and at the very bottom you read the words,_

_‘Congratulations on the Land of Fire’s highest honor of being nominated for the next Hokage.’_

_The only downside was that the urgent assessment meeting was to be mere hours from that very moment, despite it being the day of your wedding. Obito broke his gaze form the document to address you with sadness and doubt in his eyes. It didn’t truly dawn on him that his ultimate dream of becoming Hokage would put a severe handicap on his family life, but the realization struck him like a sack of bricks._

_You could tell that he was going through a serious dilemma. Reading Obito’s thoughts through his gestures and body language had become a sixth sense of sorts._

_“Hey,” you addressed him with sincerity caking your voice. “Don’t think if it that way. Think of this as two special events rolled into a day. It’s a two-for-one deal!” You concluded with a genuine laugh and smile. You truly felt nothing but joy that Obito’s dreams were coming to fruition. It didn’t bug you that he would have to depart the wedding party somewhat early._

_At that, Obito became expressionless as his head lowered and trembled, which caught you off guard, until he shot back up and stated while brushing the hair out of your face,_

_“(y/n). I love you so much!”_

_After a kiss goodbye and best wishes from everyone attending the ceremony, Obito left to prepare for his evaluation for the position of Hokage._

_~~~_

_Not even hours after the grand news, a faint but aching pain reverberated through your abdomen, which you’ve felt multiple times in the recent past, so you thought nothing of it. That is until Kakashi pointed out a wet spot that had developed between your legs. The reddened blush stung your cheeks, and the pain of your embarrassment was almost enough to overlook the growing pain in your abdomen._

_Hold on…_

_…_

_No. Way…! But it’s too early! They’re not supposed to come yet…!_

 

* * *

 

_It wasn’t until the sky grew dark did Obito find the time to return to what was left over from his wedding. Drinks and streamers riddled the lawn behind his house, and he sweatdropped at the mess he was left to clean up. Someone even made a show to create a makeshift pool out of the giant hole you conjured out of anger that one time, and in it lied various objects ranging from chopsticks to flowers. Was that a shirt floating around in there? Noting the lack of lighting inside his house, Obito wondered where you went off to, until he spotted familiar faces that brought him comfort. His closest friends remained behind to aid in the aftermath of the storm that had seemingly brushed though his yard, and they stopped and greeted him his enthusiastic faces and smiles._

_“Kakashi, Rin, Minato!” he voiced in gratitude before approaching them._

_“Hey. Figured we’d stay behind and help you clean up a little,” Kakashi announced nonchalantly. “Consider it as a second wedding present.”_

_Rin stepped in and delivered a light smack on Kakashi’s shoulder to scold him wordlessly with a stern look on her face before it dissolved immediately upon making eye contact with Obito._

_“We’re happy to help out in any way we can, Obito!”_

_“Thanks guys. What kind of creatures did you bring in here after I left, anyway? It looks like a fourth shinobi war started in here!” He joked while collecting trash, to which Minato responded by pausing his cleaning for a moment in swift remembrance of what you told him about the fourth shinobi war, most notably who caused it, before shifting his thoughts away from it and returning to his work with a gentle grin on his face._

_“I take it that the assessment training went well, then?”_

_“The village elders said to give it a few months before they make the right call. Heh, it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle!”_

_“That’s right!” Rin smiled. “You can do anything you set your mind to. Don’t let anything hold you back!”_

_“Except (y/n), maybe,” added Kakashi. “When are we supposed to tell him that she went into labor a while ago?”_

_Obito’s actions ceased instantly. Concerned, Rin and Minato switched their gaze to Obito’s direction, and watched how his stature was completely immobile._

_“We weren’t supposed to tell him like that, Kakashi!”_

_“Regardless,” the retiring Hokage stepped in. “That’s why we’re here cleaning for you, so you can go to (y/n) in her time of need. Go find her, we have things covered here.”_

_Still shocked, Obito left without another word, but not before Rin waved him goodbye, proclaiming, “Good luck, Obito!”_

 

* * *

 

The mechanisms of a doorknob turning managed to rouse you out of your exhaustion, and your eyes opened and squinted immediately upon being exposed to the brightness of the room. You then turned your attention to the door, where your husband slowly and cautiously advanced forward, seemingly apprehensive about something.

“(y/n)… are you… okay…?” He inquired softly, realizing the blood-soaked bandage on your abdomen meant the procedure of nurses removing the baby by cutting the stomach – a cesarean section - that would no doubt leave a scar.

“Y-yeah. I’m fine.”

“The baby… is he… she… h-healthy?”

His eyes then carefully scrutinized the room until it landed on the bassinet next to your bed, where his breath caught in his throat at the sight of an infant. His infant.

“Y-yeah,” you muttered before a tired smile formed on your lips. “About the fumes… the nurses came back with the final test results. (He’s/She’s) just fine, too.”

Obito exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he was holding before approaching his little one at an agonizingly slow pace. Uneasiness riddled his every feature, and his lips distorted in a blend of anxiety-ridden but rapturous fatherly joy upon laying his eyes on the thin black tufts of hair that adorned their head. The shifting of his feet roused the child into easing their eyes open, where Obito took glee in seeing that they were as dark as his were, as they shifted around to absorb their surroundings before finally settling on their internally frenzied father. The signature sound of his Sharingan activating out of pure emotion filled the room.  Obito hadn’t even realized it had activated until the baby’s face scrunched up and began to fuss at the sight. He found himself stepping back slightly, just like he did with Naruto thirteen years ago, but something about this time was different. There was an overwhelming urge to hold this child, to protect them. He didn’t need any convincing or coercing. Without needing any prompts, he scooped the fidgeting child from the warmth of their sheets. You watched in awe over Obito’s unexpected action. Despite him taking the initiative, his arms were still trembling, clearly uncertain about what to do next, and the baby began to stir uncomfortably, until you leaned in and whispered,

“Obito… remember Naruto.”

Obito looked at you with surprise before he understood, and he cradled his baby into the crook of his elbow and chest as gently as he could, treating his child as if they were the most fragile and valuable china in the world. Instantly, the two felt at ease; the baby stopped their squirming, and Obito’s entire posture relaxed as he regarded his child with a profound fondness and heavy pride that only a father could understand. It was the most beautiful image you had ever seen.

“Looks like Kushina was right,” Obito remarked without tearing his eyes away from his child. “You really are an expert on babies already.”

Exhaling though your nose in a mix of flattery and amusement, you replied softly, “It’s just what I would do, is all.”

“But Obito,” you added, which your voice was stern enough for him to finally break off his attention from his child to you in confusion and concern.

“Don’t you _ever_ put me through this again,” you stated firmly before an exhausted but playful smirk formed on your lips to which Obito shut his eyes and lifted his free arm to scratch the back of his head while exchanging a nervous smile.

“So… do you think… you can handle this?”

He never admitted it to you, but for Obito to say that he felt insecure about his parenting abilities was a severe understatement. But they were finally here. Looking back at his impossibly tiny child once more as they looked up at him and made a noise, Obito’s crimson eyes went half-lidded, the uncharacteristically serious expression on his face reflected indescribable emotion. In the moment with his partner, the glow of being a new parent was all the encouragement Obito needed.

“Yes.”

“(Name) Uchiha. Perfect.”


	30. Love in Its Purest Form (NSFW)

A/N: PLEASE READ! This chapter was a complete surprise. I was not expecting to make this fic NSFW (Not Safe For Work) since frankly I am not interested in adult themes, but I was thoroughly inspired by a recent comment pleading to include smut in our rewritten story of Obito. So, by popular demand, here it is!

Now, if smut/sex isn’t your thing, you can absolutely feel free to skip the chapter as it has no bearing on the overall story. This is a flashback chapter that happened anywhere between Obito and Reader getting together and the Orochimaru/Tobi arc (so during that 8 year gap between chapters 24 and 25) though I want to say they have been together for at least 6 months to a year before this chapter happened. Either way, it’s up to your interpretation for when the moment is right.

Anyway, I seriously hope this meets your expectations, and please note that I have **never** wrote smut before, _ever._ They say that smut is the second hardest topic to write about (behind only to comedy), so my sincerest apologies if it is not up to your standards. I still gave it my all and I tried to demonstrate my love for Obito with every page. So please enjoy! Also, just as a serious but friendly disclaimer for the younger readers: Sex is a very serious thing with very serious consequences. It will not always be good, and smut stories may often exaggerate it. The sensations experienced during is completely different from person to person. And always use protection. No, seriously. Always. Also, I’m obligated to state that this chapter is for ages 18+ so reader discretion is needed (I gotta say this so I don’t get into any trouble). I have one last chapter planned after this, so thank you all for staying this far and supporting me throughout this amazing journey. Obito forever! <3

* * *

“Where is he, where is he, where is he…”

You chanted these three words under your breath over and over, the unappealing anxious crackle in your voice clashed with the gentle and soothing patter of your bare feet pacing above the wooden floor of Obito’s ornate house. He had departed for a risky mission that was not expected to take more than a few days. That was over a week ago. You had been a total mess since then; waiting impatiently for Obito to trudge past that door, to announce that he was okay, for this nightmare of agonizing worry to be over. Of course, there was always the chance that he would not come back alright and is sent directly to the hospital instead. Or maybe he wouldn’t come back at all. Your heart sank even lower at the thought.

Throughout your pacing your body would subconsciously pause at the window overlooking the broad pathway leading to the heart of the village, searching desperately for the shadow of the Uchiha who had open access to your heart and affection since childhood. Your eyes gazed intently at that pathway hundreds of times that day, with your heart leaping out of your chest in anticipation upon seeing an outline of a person, only for it to dip back into alarm upon the realization that is it simply another villager, one who was blissfully unaware of the pain of potential loss you were currently going through. Soon, the sun descended under the trees and the clouds masked the moon’s source of light, and the window’s view became further obstructed once drops of heavy rain distorted the glass and distant surroundings.

You couldn’t take it anymore. With your hands buried into your face, you sat on Obito’s bed in an attempt to rest for the first time that night.

“This is calming _,_ ” you stated to stifle the heavy breaths of your worry.

“Everything will be okay,” you continued while resting a palm on your chest as if trying to convince yourself.

“He is fine,” you lied.

Among the deepening of your breathes and cries, an ominous sound of a continuous squeak from downstairs followed with a rough thunk of a door shutting flooded your ears. Your body moved faster than your mind could process, and you soon found yourself situated at the very spot you had just been pacing all day and night. Only this time, someone else was there to share your sorrow. The rage from the storm prevented any illumination in the room, but you could make out the familiarity of their silhouette as if it were your own. That tall, blundering stature as it towered over yours. The unmistakable shape of their unkempt, spiky hair. The desperate plea in their voice upon muttering your name between short gasps of air.

“(y-y/n)…!”

“OBITO!” You screamed while running into his trembling arms. His outfit was soaked from head to toe in a blend of water, sweat, and mud. Both of your breathing patterns were irregular and distressed as you braced one another tight in front of the doorway. You took a deep breath before spitting out, “WhathappenedtoyouIwassoworrieddon’teverdothattomeagain!” so fast that it was words away from being intelligible.

“(y/n), I – what happened was… I can expla-”

“Don’t ever scare me like that again!”

You passed Obito a stern and irritated look for a moment while his looked scared and submissive. The expression of being completely subdued by you… it looked good on him.

“Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. All that matters is that you’re here and you’re safe and you’re still with me,” you stated in a calming tone as your head rested on Obito’s soaking chest while he grasped your waist with one arm and back of your head with the other while stroking it with a quaking touch, signifying that he had been anticipating the warmth of your embrace for a while now.

Obito held you there with no intention of letting you go any time soon. And yet, neither one of your breathing patterns regulated. Both of you remained in that almost primal, desperate state of frenzied breathing even in the welcoming comfort of your significant other. You couldn’t explain why, but your head shot up to lock with the darkness of his charcoal eyes. Between quick open-mouthed breaths, Obito’s face expressed an overabundance of emotion, and him studying your face revealed identical feelings. The emotions teeming inside you, however, was confusing. You both were happy, overcome with joy, in fact, to be in each other’s arms. But the crippling distress you had gone through that past week took its toll. It created a conflicting blend of joy, relief, fear and frustration over almost losing the love of your life. You couldn’t understand the mass of swelling emotion caused by the Uchiha in front of you. You also couldn’t explain why, but all of these intense feelings blending together… they felt… exciting.

Obito must have been experiencing the same, as both of his hands raised to cup your cheeks and pulled your face forward to couple with his lips. He hadn’t realized how forcible his gesture was, but it indicated just how anticipated and needed this meeting truly was to him. It started out as a sweet and simple union of lips. A moment of deep connection passed before a long and suggestive sigh escaped Obito’s throat. His entire body relaxed and rested against yours as the kiss began to deepen and, as if on instinct, your mouth took the initiative and guided Obito’s into twisting with yours as your hands clasped his cheeks with the same burning intensity that griped your cheeks.

Your fingertips strayed and began to map out the curve of his face until one of your thumbs started to stroke the corner of Obito’s lips, subconsciously telling him to become more vulnerable with you and he, intoxicated with the scent of you, obliged without concern. The moment your tongues met elicited another loud, drawn-out moan from Obito’s mouth; entirely involuntary. Unadulterated. Your tongue traced his tentatively, all while your heavy, uneven breathing never ceased.

It was rare when Obito felt comfortable enough to taste you and share his own taste so intimately. It was a simple, gentle, yet personal exploration of your body, unrivaled by anything else, he thought. Your already irregular breathing pattern became even more unstable from the erratic beating of your hearts stemming from the excitement of your tongue playing and intertwining with his.

Reluctantly, you pulled back for air and caught a glimpse at subdued Uchiha before you. Even in the dark you could make out the love and relief over seeing you embedded into his eyes, but within them held something more. Something different. Something you had never spotted within Obito’s eyes before that point. Before confessing your love for one another, Obito would occasionally hold this look of longing for you that you hadn’t noticed until years later. The look he was subconsciously passing you now was longing as well, but it was a different type of want. It was a need. A pure look that needed no explanation. He was ready.

The pounding sensation emanating from the Uchiha’s chest accompanied his half-lidded stare. That telltale sign of life and energy in his chest brought comfort to your aching soul. It made you feel so close to Obtio. And yet… you couldn’t shake this feeling… this desire to feel even closer. There had been this feeling, this desire, for so long now. An urge that had been suppressed; pushed aside in fear of scaring each other from the raw emotion alone. What if he didn’t feel the same way? But there was something about the look in his eyes tonight. An unmistakable want that shattered all those worries and allowed that overpowering urge to grow stronger and stronger until finally… it bloomed.

* * *

One by one, his tattered clothing was peeled from him and drifted to the floor with an audible plop, the dampness from the outside world was evident. With each of his outer protection lost, Obito became more and more timid. It felt as though the more skin he revealed to you, the more he realized that this was real. This was really happening. Was he truly ready for it?

You knew in an instant that Obito was doubting himself. As you sat atop his uneasy body, you watched his face dip into even more uncertainty and his blush deepened from a flush pink to a vibrant red as you traced his exposed chest and shoulders, taking note of the numerous nicks, scars, and wounds, earned during battle. He looked so vulnerable, so subdued. Slowly, your clothing came off as well.

_This is it. I’m ready for this. No question about it._

Your skirt was sent to the floor with a cute patter.

_I can do this. Everyone does it… right…?_

Your shirt joined the pile of clothes on the floor shortly after.

_I… um… what… what do I do now…?_

What confidence you had evaporated once your body was equally exposed to the Uchiha laying under you.

Then, it was silent. You and Obito stared at each other for what felt like hours. He looked up and you. You looked down at him. Your eyes made contact before a nervous smile invaded your face before breaking contact. You both were at an entirely new level of vulnerability. You could almost hear the strength of Obito’s pounding heart.

“A-are you… doing okay…?” You asked gently to try and conceal your own feelings on the matter while one hand lifted to hide your mouth and balled into a loose fist out of concern and uncertainty.

“Y-yeah…! Why wouldn’t I be?” He replied almost too urgently. The lips surrounding his exaggerated smile trembled hard. The blood rushing into his face made him beet red. You knew he was lying through his teeth.

“We can stop if you-“

“N-no!” Obito pleaded. “I just, I’ve never felt this way… about anyone. To tell you the truth I have no idea what I’m doing.”

You smiled reassuringly. “That’s something else we have in common.”

You and Obito chuckled out of nervousness before the air died down and became intense once more. Your smile was the first to fade and Obito’s expression mirrored yours soon after. You finally felt calm enough to survey Obito’s skin again, and your eyes couldn’t help but soften at the display before you. Obito was handsome. You always believed that. But now you could easily say that every inch of him filled you with a new feeling, one that sent sparks of what felt like excitement in an electrical form down and throughout your abdomen. With your passion reignited, you lowered yourself onto Obito with your chest pressing against his. Cupping both of his cheeks as gently as you could, you whispered, “I’ve got you. Just let go. Let go with me,” and flooded his senses with your lips once again.

Immediately Obito felt the crushing weight of tension alleviate, and he was able to lift his arms to reciprocate. His hands trailed all over you, his fingertips purposeful as he mentally mapped out and memorized the gentle curves of your body. His breath hitched once his unguided hands inevitably landed on your chest, where he brushed against your scar before loosely cupping your breast and held it there in disbelief before jerking his touch away abruptly and broke off the kiss at the same time in apprehension.

“Th-that was an accident, I s-swear…!”

Ever since that intimate moment in the tent while cleaning your wound, Obito couldn’t help but relive that moment in his head. He would mentally chastise himself if those thoughts intruded on him in public, but Obito would be lying if he said that he didn’t think that part of you was beautiful. Every part of you was beautiful. He couldn’t explain when it happened, but eventually everything you did… began to turn him on.

“It’s okay, I… liked it.” Your eyes closed contently as you guided his hands gently back onto your exposed skin while your lips pressed firmly against his.

Only this time, Obito’s hands stroked downward and rested on your hips; one of the very few places that had a thin fabric on your body. He didn’t feel worthy in touching your bare skin, that is until your hands trailed down to his hips as well. Obito then felt the chill of the air sweep his exposed privates once his underwear was pushed away. It was then something changed in him; he began to feel something more primal take over. Still lip locked, Obito held your back and rolled you onto your back with him straddling you up top. It was an unexpected but welcome change, yet he was still timid about removing your clothes himself, evidenced by his vice-like grip on the hem of your panties without any other movement. Placing your hand over his, you guided Obito until no more barriers hindered the beauty that was both of your bodies.

“(y-y/n), don’t I… what do I… where…?”

Your lips locked with Obito’s before he could lose his composure again, allowing your lips and tongue to do the talking and let nature do the rest. Your actions proved fruitful as Obito eased forward and pressed his upper weight onto you while the kiss deepened and wettened. His body was still chilled from charging through the wind and rain all night. In the back of your mind, you noted how the warmth from your body was slowly heating and drying his wherever they made contact, sending a wave of goosebumps through both of you.

Obito instinctively placed his arms on either side of your head while holding himself up by his elbows. One of your legs lifted and rested on his backside before pushing his lower half downward, where his hips pressed firmly into yours. His hardened shaft poked at your pelvis, leaving a noticeable trail of fluid and moisture wherever he placed it. Obito smiled and chuckled sheepishly between the kiss, embarrassed from being unable to hide his excitement as your bodies continued to writhe and grind against one another. Your hips curved while Obito’s flexed at the right moment, causing your privates to connect directly for the very first time, prompting Obito to groan in your mouth before breaking off the kiss to signal his approval aloud with a hearty moan. He peered down at you a moment later with darting eyes, searching desperately for any indication that this was the right thing to do. You matched his expression in a mix of pleasure and uneasiness, but it soon softened into a lustful look Obito could only describe as unusually but extremely sensual. He may be acting sheepish, but that didn’t stop his cock from leaping at the sight of your arousal.

Without a word, your other leg raised to Obito’s behind before pressing him gently forward once more with both feet, comforting him, encouraging him, and imploring him to feel you even further. His oozing cock was met with resistance, and he briefly worried that he could not fit, until an abrupt ‘pop’ startled the both of you out of your thoughts followed by an all-consuming pleasure that engulfed Obito while you grunted and shifted slightly uncomfortably.

Obito’s back arched from the sudden pressure enveloping his cock and the two of you couldn’t help but gasp at the unfamiliar sensations coursing through both of your bodies. You were amazed that Obito could feel so warm inside of you. Likewise, Obito never expected your insides to grip him so intently. Before he could fully process what was happening, Obito’s hips began to thrust forward, as if on their own, until half of his cock was sheathed inside of you. You inhaled through your teeth sharply at the sensation, prompting Obito to come to his senses for a moment. He pulled out until only the head remained settled inside, where you saw the slick wetness from deep inside of you coat his cock, where no one else has ever touched before. As he pulled back, your flesh ached, pleading to be filled by your lifelong lover once more.

The sensations on and around his tip was like heaven, and yet like hell at the same time. Obito so desperately wanted to feel more; to reunite with your slick warmth and be completely whole with you, and soon he couldn’t resist anymore. Once he sensed your body relax, his hips leaned forward again, until your hips pressed together, and his pelvis rocked against yours insistently.

“This… is a new feeling…” you uttered in a shaky tone.

“It’s… this is… amazing,” he managed to strain out between moans. “This is nothing like I’m used to. It feels so different.”

“Different? Different from what…?”

The pleasure in Obito’s eyes lessened slightly and they widened over the implications behind his words.

“Do you mean different… from when you… do it?”

Obito’s mounting pace slowed almost to a halt out of nerves. “I-I mean…”

“No, please don’t stop,” you whined, catching Obito off guard with the pleading need in your voice. It was so unlike you. He felt guilty that it made him even more excited.

It was then it struck him, that he was here, in the moment, reaching an entirely new level of intimacy, with you. It made his body ache. His body urged him to rebuild his pace, and he obliged. It was such a unique experience. The way your inner folds gripped and contracted around his cock, the feminine moisture surrounding it, making his tight entry easier and more pleasurable. He felt every bump, every ridge; every cease in your pulsing canal caught against Obito’s sensitive glans, forcing a hoarse and erotic noise to escape his throat every other inward thrust.

“How… how does it feel?”

With his eyes shut, Obito sighed out between breaths, “Wonderful.”

Wonderful. A simple yet perfect word to describe the way you feel both physically and emotionally with your partner. To perform such a sensual act of lovemaking with the man you had gone through everything with. The two of you were now one – both in a physical and spiritual sense. As his flesh kneaded and connected with yours, you glanced at one another with widening eyes full of awe. Your souls were now connected and intertwined, bound together in an exquisite union of love and sexual pleasure.

You always wondered what making love to Obito would be like – would he be the rough and fast type or a slow lover. With his thrusts and the way his body molded to yours, it soon became apparent that Obito was a slow and sensual type of lover. His hips drove into you at an irregular pace, clearly indicating his inexperience, but you could feel his everlasting love for you each time his hips hit yours. He was slow, but his cock slid deep; a thin sheen of sweat coated his chest and repeatedly left remnants of his effort on yours when he bottomed out and relaxed his weight onto you.

The air around the room, once thick with sexual tension, was filled with the beautiful sounds of love being expressed in physical form. Moans and whines permeated the room, the notes of pleasure, the voices of intimacy, the measures of love. The thundering clap of the storm outside helped stifle the deep moans, and the strong impact of the rain matched the uncoordinated but powerful force of Obito’s thrusts.

“Obito…”

“Oh…”

“Baby…”

“You feel so good…”

“I love you…”

“I love you too, my angel… so much…”

Obito inhaled sharply through his teeth after every clumsy thrust, and each time, the head of his cock drove and kissed the opening to your womb, fit together, like you were made for him.

Obito cherished you, he told you in the way he would thrust, push, heave and moan in desperate, insuppressible pleasure. A surge of pleasure darted through your insides after each stroke, and your body responded by pushing back against Obito to maximize that growing need to be loved and filled by the Uchiha above you.

Each motion of Obito’s hips drove your lust to new heights. Each passing moment pushed you closer to the edge – to the peak with your partner. At the most basic of levels, you and Obito each sensed the point of no return within the other. He was getting close, you knew. You were reaching that point, he thought, which ignited a flame within Obito, spurring him on, determined to take this new expression of love and intimacy to an even stronger level. Overwhelmed with feral instincts, your inner folds tightened around his slick cock. The two of you pushed and heaved into each other, your motions became desperate, and almost filthy by how eager your bodies responded to the other.

Obito tried desperately to suppress the pitches of his ecstasy, but the way your legs wrapped around his leg and hip, how your fingers tangled and curled into his dark, unkempt hair, and the force by which your inner walls surrounded his body and soul in warm, rippling waves. It overwhelmed Obito’s senses and his eyes squeezed shut while his clenching teeth slacked to release a dirty, strangled moan from his throat as your body pushed his over the edge.

The magnitude of Obito’s pleasure both startled and pleased you; the temperamental rhythm of his thrusts broke off into unorganized but powerful lunges one after the other. His tense body language clearly told of his impeding finish. Knowing that the cause of his disheveled vulnerability and intense pleasure was because of you sent a wave of sparks through your insides – a wave that, to your surprise, did not die down, but rather, grew joyously until moans slipped past your lips with just as much fervency as Obito’s.

“(y-y/n)… I-I think I’m about to… w-what do I do…?!”

“Just don’t stop. Please!”

With both hands cupping your cheeks, Obito pressed his forehead insistently on yours, his eyes forced shut but his teeth visibly clenched, clearly overthrown and lost in the mounting pleasure of his first orgasm experienced and given from somebody else. Someone who holds nothing but love for the groaning Uchiha, a thought that only aided in making his finish even stronger; even more potent. His body arched into yours at the same time your climax struck you. It was a blooming warmth radiating from your abdomen before spreading farther. The overwhelming pleasure forced your pussy to clench Obito tighter.

It was then, you felt it.

A sensation of scorching fluid arose from deep within you, slowly spreading deeper inside, all while Obito panted, trembled and writhed against you, unable to control his volume or erratic movements. Obito’s mind clouded, short-circuited from his first orgasm and ejaculation inside of his lover. Every little movement – every twitch sent another rolling wave of pleasure along you and Obito’s body. It was a pure pleasure indescribable to those unfamiliar with the sensations of being loved by and being the lover of an Uchiha. The hot fluid traveled deeper still, its burning potency almost matched the fiery intensity of the Uchiha’s flames. Something about being filled so raw and completely added a whole new level of sensuality for the two of you. It was as though Obito’s most intimate fluids mixed and joined with yours in your deepest most inner sanctum. It felt wonderful.

After a while, the rambunctious noise that once filled the room eased and was replaced by erratic pants and gasps. Obito laid atop of you, his face resting into your neck while one of your hands gripped the back of his head. The weight of what you two had just done hit you, and you couldn’t help the sweltering blush from boiling onto your cheeks.

“O-Obito…?”

Obito struggled to lift his head to look at you, and in doing so reactivated the sensations in his groin and forced jolts of pleasing aftershocks through his lower body.

“Y-yeah…?” He muttered, trying extra hard to sound confident and certain of the situation, but you could see through it easily.

“Your eyes…! Are they…?”

Obito hadn’t realized it, but his Sharingan had activated in the heat of the moment. The staggering sensations in Obito’s mind, body and soul during his climax forced his Sharingan alive.

“Oh, I… didn’t notice,” his fading crimson eyes averted to the side sheepishly before fully transferring back to onyx. The redness in his cheeks, however, remained very prominent.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, I-“

“Embarrassed?! Th-that is the _last_ thing I am feeling right now!”

You giggled lightheartedly, surrounded by the endorphins and afterglow of the moment. “It was that good, huh?”

Obito exhaled a quick, playfully defeated chuckle. “It was… incredible, okay?”

“You were pretty amazing, you know.”

Obito’s eyes perked up at your words. You knew that praise is a big deal around him.

“I really mean that. I’ve never felt this way, but with you, I just, I’m so lucky to have you.”

Obito gazed at you wide-eyed before his face eased and went half lidded. He looked so serious before one end of his lips cracked upwards into a knowing and loving smile.

 “(y/n)… you’re wonderful.”

“I love you so much.”


End file.
